GARY Keedy overcame a split spinning finger to bowl Lancashire into a commanding position on the second day of the County Championship match against Worcestershire at Old Trafford.

He claimed 4-60 to help bowl out the visitors for 236 and, with Paul Horton and Mal Loye seeing off the last 13 overs of the day, Lancashire will resume tomorrow on 40-0, needing another 224 to win.

But Keedy started the day with major doubts over whether he could bowl, having dropped a weight on his finger yesterday and slicing it open.

He got permission from Worcestershire skipper Vikram Solanki to bowl with the finger strapped up, without which he would have been struggling to grip the ball.

But Solanki could well be rueing that decision.

After Sajid Mahmood and Kyle Hogg got rid of Daryl Mitchell and Vikram Solanki quickly, Steven Moore and Ben Smith guided Worcestershire to 133-2 and a 160-run lead with a 79-run partnership.

But Keedy was introduced to the attack and almost immediately Smith drove him to Steven Croft at cover to start a collapse.

The spinner found Moeen Ali’s edge in his next over and VVS Laxman claimed a good catch in the slips.

Croft then pounced in the covers to run out Steven Davies with a direct hit and then Moore, who brought up a century which included 17 boundaries, was bowled by Hogg for 107.

It was the first of two wickets in an over for Hogg as Gareth Batty was caught behind three balls later, leaving the seamer with career best Championship figures of 6-79.

Ashley Noffke was out just after tea as he edged Mahmood to Laxman at second slip, while Keedy accounted for both Chris Whelan and Matt Mason to finish off the innings.

Earlier in the day Glen Chapple made 44 to help push Lancashire to 145 in their first innings having resumed the day on 119-8 in reply to Worcestershire first innings of 172. Mason claimed Lancashire’s final two wickets to finish with 7-39.

“Today was a massive day for us,” said Hogg. “We needed to bowl well. Keeds was struggling with his finger, and we weren't too sure whether he was going to bowl or not.

“When the left-handers came in and Keeds was bowling into the rough, it's difficult for them to score. There are chances to get wickets and he did.”

Having lost two and drawn two of their last four Championship matches, a win for Lancashire tomorrow could well kick-start their campaign again.

“It will be massive,” said Hogg. “We are still fourth in the Championship and we haven’t played that well really so if we win we can go on full of confidence.

“We have really bowled well this season, it has just been a case of getting some runs to back it up. We need one good partnership and that should do it.”

Lancashire v Worcestershire - close day two
Overnight: Worcestershire 172 Lancashire 119-8 (Mason 5-19)

Lancashire 1st innings (cont)
Chapple c Whelan b Mason 44
Newby c Davies b Mason 14
Keedy not out 1
Extras 13
Total (all out, 44 overs) 145
Fall: 1-18 2-38 3-54 4-71 5-72 6-72 7-77 8-82 9-124
Bowling
Noffke 16-3-48-3
Mason 17-11-39-7
Whelan 6-1-31-0
Andrew 5-0-21-0

Worcestershire 2nd innings
Moore b Hogg 107
Mitchell c Sutton b Mahmood 12
Solanki lbw b Hogg 9
Smith c Croft b Keedy 28
Ali c Laxman b Keedy 3
Davies run out (Croft) 25
Noffke c Laxman b Mahmood 16
Batty c Sutton b Hogg 4
Andrew not out 19
Whelan c Horton b Keedy 3
Mason b Keedy 2
Extras 8
Total (all out, 72.1 overs) 236
Fall: 1-33 2-54 3-133 4-143 5-188 6-192 7-196 8-219 9-230
Bowling
Chapple 9-2-29-0
Mahmood 16-3-42-2
Newby 11-0-49-0
Hogg 19-6-53-3
Keedy 17.1-2-60-4

Lancashire 2nd innings
Horton not out 13
Loye not out 16
Extras 11
Total (0 wkts, 13 overs) 40
Bowling
Noffke 7-1-27-0
Mason 6-4-6-0