Lancashire have scored 388 for four in their first innings At Stanley Park

Worcestershire's outside County Championship promotion hopes could well have been finally blown away in blustery Blackpool.

There wasn't much pleasure to be had for a Worcestershire attack deprived of England spinner Gareth Batty as rivals Lancashire piled up the runs.

Things looked promising for the visitors when they took two wickets in the morning session, including one with the first ball of the day, to reduce Lancashire to 63 for two. But a record-breaking 249-run third-wicket stand between Mal Loye and Stuart Law then transformed the contest.

On a positive note, the inform Andrew Symonds was disposed of cheaply, but with Loye still there at the close having batted all day for 170 not out, there could be plenty more runs to come. And Worcestershire's batsmen will now have to bat well on this flat wicket just to keep their side in the game.

Worcestershire did manage to make it a grim start to the day for the home side, however.

Matt Mason's first ball was a real snorter, an in-swinging lifter which Lancashire captain Mark Chilton could only fend to short leg.

But Loye was already starting to unveil his full repertoire of shots before the home side lost their second wicket not long before lunch, when Iain Sutcliffe pushed forward to Ray Price, and was caught behind.

And, when Law joined him, the fun really got started.

Lancashire have acquired a justified reputation as oneday 'chokers' in recent seasons, having lost seven semifinals in as many summers - including this year's Twenty20 and the C&G Trophy debacle at Edgbaston last Saturday.

But, with the number of star names a county like Lancashire possess, there is always a good chance that they are going to come off sooner or later - and Worcestershire were the ones to suffer.

The third-wicket record for this splendid old ground had been set by two grand old Lancastrian cricketing names, Jack Iddon and Ernest Tyldesley, also against Worcestershire, in 1929.

But they were to be wiped from the record books, their 237 being surpassed in chanceless style by Law and Loye.

It was not until after tea that they were parted, when Law drove Nadeem Malik to visiting skipper Vikram Solanki at extra cover on 143.

And there was an unexpected bonus when Symonds - fresh from the five centuries he has plundered since joining Lancashire following one-day duty with Australia - went half forward to Price and was clean bowled for just one.

But Marc North had settled in well to reach 43, including two sixes, by the close. And, with Loye still there, the suffering may not be over yet for the Worcestershire attack.

Steve Rhodes' men were certainly handicapped by the loss of Batty, who had damaged his hand taking a catch at Old Trafford the night before, Stephen Peters being the man brought in to deputise. But it was still a disappointing effort, especially given the encouraging way Mason had bowled in his first nine-over spell of one for 21.

The one thing that Lancashire had in their favour, though, were the conditions. With a chill wind howling in off the Irish Sea, neither bowling nor fielding can have been pleasant.

The only surprise, given the dark colour of some of the clouds looming overhead, was that the skies did not empty. Instead, squally showers caused the loss of only two overs in the day.