WORCESTERSHIRE returned to the bottom of Specsavers County Championship Division One after letting a winning position slip at Lancashire.

The hosts gave their survival chances a huge boost by edging a thriller at Southport and leapfrogging the County.

A century from skipper Dane Vilas was the crucial contribution as the South African guided his team to an improbable chase of 314 thanks to an unbroken century stand with Josh Bohannon.

The visitors had looked the most likely to force a win for much of the match and indeed the day but the efforts of Lancashire’s middle order ensured they grabbed what could be a pivotal victory.

It was a day where the balance swung between sessions. At lunch, Worcestershire were firmly in the ascendancy. By tea, it was anyone’s game.

Lancashire resumed on 8-0 chasing 314 to win.

It was a daunting target, especially given the highest total in the game was Worcestershire’s second-innings 252.

It was also the record successful chase at Southport, beating Durham’s 247 in 2016.

Their morning started badly with nightwatchman Toby Lester (8) run out from their 13th ball of the day.

Haseeb Hameed grafted hard before striking three boundaries in quick succession to move to 14.

But Ed Barnard (2-50) struck twice in an over to have Hameed and then Rob Jones, who bagged a pair, caught behind.

When Alex Davies departed for a swift 30, Worcestershire had dominated the morning and appeared on the cusp of a victory charge with Lancashire on 96-4 at lunch.

But the afternoon belonged to Lancashire and in particular to Vilas.

He shared successive half-century partnerships, first with Steven Croft and then with Jordan Clark.

Vilas reached a half-century from 97 balls with eight sweetly-struck boundaries.

The dismissals of Croft for 36 to a wonderful delivery from Josh Tongue and then Clark for 31 to a needless launch down the ground dented Lancashire hopes.

But they had batted their way back into contention by tea, standing on 217-6, needing another 97 with Vilas unbeaten on 72.

The South African’s best partnership was still to come, teaming up with Bohannon for a match-winning effort.

Neither looked troubled for most of their innings.

Vilas received one life, dropped by Joe Clarke on 84.

But the pair showed tremendous determination and concentration to slowly eat away at the required runs and turn the game in their favour.

Captain Vilas made his vital century from 188 balls to a standing ovation, finishing unbeaten on 107 and Bohannon made a faultless 78 not out in just his second first-class match.

The partnership was worth 139 by the time they had taken Lancashire over the line.

Lancashire took 19 points from the game, lifting themselves off the bottom of the table above Worcestershire who could only claim four.