WORCESTERSHIRE moved a massive step closer to securing promotion back to Specsavers County Championship Division One with a six-wicket triumph over Leicestershire at New Road.

The hosts chalked up their third successive win on the brink of tea to move nine points clear at the top from Nottinghamshire who have one game in hand.

Victory also kept nearest rivals Northamptonshire and Sussex at arm’s length.

The County will have to wait the outcome of results next week to know if they will be promoted before the final match with Durham at New Road from September 25.

Worcestershire have responded positively after a disappointing T20 Blast campaign and the arrival of Indian spin star Ravichandran Ashwin has had a positive impact.

But they were made to work harder by the basement boys than had seemed likely at the start of the fourth day before completing an eighth win of the season.

The Foxes resumed on 111-7 just 22 ahead but a century stand between Zak Chappell and Lewis Hill and another impressive spell by spinner Callum Parkinson kept the County on their toes before securing a maximum 24-point haul.

Leicestershire paid the price for a disastrous start to their second innings which reduced them to 10-4.

Hill, who was 18 not out overnight, and Chappell counter-attacked to good effect in a stand of 103 in just 23 overs.

Chappell straight drove Ashwin for six to reach his half-century which also contained seven fours off just 63 balls.

Hill offered solid support and his 50 was completed off 96 deliveries with five boundaries.

But the innings ended swiftly with the loss of three wickets in four overs.

Chappell (66) pulled a short ball from paceman Pat Brown to Brett D’Oliveira at mid on.

Brown struck again in his next over and Dieter Klein fell in similar fashion to Joe Clarke at mid wicket without troubling the scorers.

Ashwin then had Hill (60) caught by D’Oliveira on the deep square leg boundary.

With the possibility of rain looming Worcestershire openers Daryl Mitchell and D’Oliveira seized every opportunity to keep the scoreboard ticking along before both perished to Parkinson who took eight wickets in the first innings.

D’Oliveira (15) went for a slog sweep and was bowled while Mitchell (34) played forward and the ball spun back onto his stumps.

Ben Raine bowled a marathon 12-over spell with the new ball and was rewarded when Tom Fell (18) was also bowled after playing forward.

Joe Clarke (35) and George Rhodes (21 not out) added 55 before the former was lbw to Aadil Ali with just eight runs required.

Parkinson finished with match figures of 56-2-185-10.

County director of cricket Steve Rhodes said: "I try not to get too carried away and some of the other teams have still got two games to go but I'm really delighted with that victory.

"We would like to have batted first and they got 400 so to get nearly 500 is an amazing effort from our boys and to pick up maximum points with 10 academy players makes you feel very proud.

"To be top of the league with predominantly home-grown talent, we are very proud of that fact.

"The new-ball spell on Thursday (when Leicestershire were reduced to 10-4) was a pivotal moment in the game.

"I will be watching the scores in the other games next week when we are not playing but not as much as Matt Mason (assistant coach) who seems to be checking the scores every couple of minutes!

"We can't do anything about what happens in those last games and our focus will be on that last game for us against Durham."