WORCESTERSHIRE captain Tom Moody hailed Lancashire the toughest team to beat in England after a record-breaking last wicket partnership between Glen Chapple and Peter Martin, writes ANDY WILSON.

But that was little consolation for Mike Watkinson's side after another batting disaster condemned them to their third Sunday League defeat out of four.

Lancashire slumped to 175-9 in reply to Worcestershire's 261-3 before Chapple and Martin linked up in a stand of 82, smashing the previous Sunday record by 25.

Lancashire started the last over still needing 21, but Martin raised hopes of an amazing win by hitting Richard Illingworth's second and third balls over long off for six.

But with six needed from two balls, Chapple was run out trying to scramble a second to deep square leg after hitting 43 from 37 balls, a new Sunday best beating 20 not out last week against Somerset when he took Lancashire within one run of another amazing win. Martin ended unbeaten on 35 from just 23 deliveries, and their stand smashed the previous Sunday best for the last wicket of 57 between David Graveney and John Mortimore for Gloucestershire against Lancashire at Tewkesbury in 1973.

But in the end Lancashire were left to regret one disastrous over from Gary Yates midway through the Worcestershire innings. He bowled from the Stretford End with a short legside boundary and after conceding only two from his first over Moody hammered 28 off his second - four sixes and a four.

"It was a gamble from Lancashire and if I had hit the first ball straight down somebody's throat it would have been the perfect move," said the six foot seven Aussie former East Lancs pro, who had hit 108 in the Championship game on Saturday.

Worcestershire's Vikram Solanki spun Lancashire into trouble on the final day of the Championship encounter at Old Trafford.

The off-spinner picked up his seventh wicket of the match in only his second over of the day as Lancashire stumbled to 44 for three in their second innings.

The 21-year-old deceived Steve Titchard after the opener advanced down the track and was easily stumped by wicketkeeper Steve Rhodes for 20. Neil Fairbrother (31) and nightwatchman Glen Chapple (nine) took the score to 72 for three and a lead of 114.

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