WORCESTERSHIRE lost control after James Anderson's six-wicket haul and a Carl Hooper century boosted Lancashire's fortunes in their Frizzell County Championship Division One match at Old Trafford.

At the close last night the County trailed by 241 runs against their hosts, who had seven second innings wickets remaining.

Anderson gave the England selectors a timely reminder of his wicket-taking ability with a return of 6-49 as Lancashire took a first-innings lead.

Yet it was Hooper's masterly batting and Iain Sutcliffe's gritty assistance which completed a turnaround as the home side reached stumps with a second-innings 200-3 in a match which at one stage yesterday had threatened to hurtle in the County's favour.

Today Lancashire strengthened their grip by moving on to 218-4, Gareth Batty removing nightwatchman Gary Keedy for a single courtesy of a Steve Rhodes catch.

Glen Chapple came in to join Sutcliffe, who had moved his score on to 92.

Yesterday, Hooper's 69th first-class hundred did not necessarily bear all the hallmarks of some of his previous merciless batterings.

But it was an entirely assured contribution which shut out Worcestershire's hard-working attack and in company with Sutcliffe ensured Lancashire have the mid-match platform to vindicate their position as championship favourites.

Anderson had begun another gloomy Manchester morning with a spell of four for 24 in eight overs to reduce Worcestershire to 146 all out in reply to 187.

He followed up two top-order scalps on Wednesday with the wickets of Kadeer Ali, nightwatchman Nadeem Malik, his England team-mate Batty and then Andy Bichel.

Slow left-armer Keedy finished the job from the same Brian Statham End with two more wickets to claim figures of four for 20.

Anderson made sure of taking an opportunity here, afforded largely by England who requested he play in this match.

His first victim was Kadeer, who fell to the second ball of the day when he obligingly followed a harmless delivery down the leg side and edged behind for a good catch by home captain Warren Hegg.

Anderson found his range when a well-directed yorker uprooted Malik's middle-stump.

Batty was pinned bang in front lbw, and Anderson left the fielders out of it again when he hit the stumps for the fourth time to eliminate Bichel, bowled through the gate as inswing beat his attempted off-drive.

Keedy then took his cue to polish off the last two wickets. The left-arm orthodox found enough to have Andrew Hall's heaved slog-sweep lob up for a running catch by Stuart Law at midwicket and then win a stumping for Hegg against last man Matt Mason.

Lancashire began their second innings confidently only to lose two wickets for one run when Mark Chilton was lbw on the back-foot defence as Batty got one to keep low and Law failed for the second time in the match via a tame clip into the hands of square-leg off Mason.

That left Hooper (100) and Sutcliffe with a job to protect the advantage -- and they did not disappoint.

From the moment Hooper got off the mark with a lofted drive for four off Batty from down the wicket, he looked entirely in control in a chanceless 183-ball hundred which contained 12 boundaries.

Only when he had reached three figures and helped put on 168 with Sutcliffe to post 200 for his side did the former West Indies captain make his first mistake -- a fast-footed waft at Bichel which saw him go caught behind.