WORCESTERSHIRE are closing in on their first Specsavers County Championship Division One victory of the season.

They lead Lancashire by 478 runs with six second-innings wickets remaining after dominating the second day at Blackfinch New Road to score 361-4.

After Ed Barnard reduced the visitors to 86-5 overnight in reply to 247 all out, Worcestershire skittled their opponents for 130 in the morning.

Barnard (5-34) bagged his third five-wicket haul of the campaign and Charlie Morris (3-20) finished off the visitors’ lower order.

Daryl Mitchell and debutant Martin Guptill then both hit centuries during a 215-run opening partnership in just 33 overs with the former’s 163 being his second ton of the game.

Guptill raced to a 97-ball ton with four sixes and 10 fours before he was trapped lbw by Tom Bailey for 111.

Mitchell went to his century from 111 balls with 15 boundaries.

It was the fourth time Mitchell had completed two hundreds in a game, equalling Graeme Hick’s effort, and when on 119 he passed 12,000 first-class career runs.

He finally fell to Jordan Clark for 163 from 221 balls with 20 fours after adding 137 in 42 overs for the second wicket with Tom Fell (62).

All five of Barnard’s victims went for ducks to help earn a first-innings lead of 117 and veteran Steve Magoffin weighed in with 2-58.

In a dramatic turnaround in fortunes, Lancashire had been 77-0 at one stage but lost 10 wickets for 53 runs in 22.2 overs over the two days.

Magoffin made the first breakthrough as skipper Dane Vilas (3) was lbw after offering no shot.

Barnard completed his nap hand when Clark (0) departed lbw.

England Test opener Keaton Jennings completed his half-century but on 55 fell lbw as well to Magoffin.

Morris wrapped up the innings with successive balls in his first over as Bailey (8) was caught at mid-wicket by Joe Clarke and Graham Onions (0) got bowled.

When the County batted again, Guptill and Mitchell scored freely and in 10 overs before lunch raced to 57-0.

The duo continued in the same vein after the interval with Mitchell first to his 50 off 51 balls with nine boundaries. Guptill followed him from 63 deliveries with one six and eight fours.

The New Zealand star needed only another 34 balls to go to three figures with four sixes and 10 fours.

He was the first County player to score a Championship ton on his debut since Phil Jaques at The Oval in 2006.

Meanwhile, Lancashire all-rounder Danny Lamb is to become the first concussion replacement in English first-class cricket.

He will take over from Australian overseas player Joe Mennie who suffered suspected concussion when hit on the head by a return drive from Guptill.