Lancashire made a lively start in their bold bid to escape relegation only to then suffer a spirited Worcestershire fightback on a rain-shortened, but hugely dramatic day of just 26 overs of cricket.
After the weather prevented any play before lunch, Lancs won the toss, put the Pears in and quickly reduced their hosts to 22-5.
But then, having slid further to 56-7, Matthew Waite and Logan van Beek carried the fight back, blasting 63 in seven overs.
The pair plundered six sixes between them as the visiting attack, having looked almost unplayable with the new ball, were suddenly made to look ordinary.
After last week’s win in Manchester to end Somerset’s title chances, Lancashire began the game 15 points adrift of third-from-bottom Nottinghamshire and 20 points behind seventh-placed Warwickshire.
With Notts facing the Bears, Lancs knew they had to win and hope that one of their two rivals has a bad week at Trent Bridge – but they also needed the weather to go their way. And that has so far not really proved the case, with more heavy overnight rain forecast.
Their pace attack at least began well as Tom Bailey bowled splendidly, back to his best as he sent down eight overs on the trot to take 3-9, backed by West Indian signing Anderson Phillip, who also took three wickets before taking some tap from Waite and van Beek.
