Matthew Waite completed a half century and picked up three wickets as Worcestershire struck back on day three of the Vitality County Championship encounter with Lancashire at Visit Worcestershire New Road.
The all-rounder led a recovery from 39-6 to 180 all out then made a trio of breakthroughs as Lancashire were bowled out for 177 in 55.1 overs.
It earned Worcestershire a narrow first innings advantage of three runs.
Worcestershire resumed on 119-7 and they added a further 61 runs in continuing a fine recovery from being 56-7 at one stage.
Waite who resumed on 47 not out after yesterday’s wash-out, completed an excellent half century off just 37 balls with four sixes and two fours.
It was a second successive fifty for Waite after 53 in his previous innings against Warwickshire.
He was given staunch support by Logan van Beek during a free-flowing partnership of 84 from 15 overs.
Waite (60) eventually fell to Phillip when he went for a pull through mid-wicket but gloved the ball to Keaton Jennings at second slip.
Joe Leach, in his final match before retiring, received a standing ovation from supporters on his way to the wicket but made only two before he was bowled off the inside edge to give Phillip his fifth wicket.
Van Beek and Jack Home added 26 useful runs for the final wicket before the former on 48 from 70 balls chopped on to George Balderson
Home remained undefeated on 13 while Phillip finished with figures of 13-2-65-5 and Tom Bailey 15-5-22-3.
Lancashire were left 35 minutes batting before lunch and they suffered an early setback.
Skipper Keaton Jennings (1) drove at a widish delivery from Waite and the ball flew to Rob Jones who held onto a head high chance at second slip.
Josh Bohannon had an escape in the same over before he had scored when Waite failed to hold onto a sharp one-handed return catch away to his right
But there was another breakthrough when Harry Singh (4) pushed forward to Leach and was caught behind to give the all-rounder his 468th wicket for Worcestershire.
The wickets continued to tumble after lunch when Bohannon (8) attempted to work Leach to leg and was lbw.
It became 30-4 when Rocky Flintoff (13) attempted a straight drive and was also leg before.
Lancashire keeper Maty Hurst and George Bell added 43 for the fifth wicket.
But Waite returned to the attack and accounted for Hurst (14) who was pouched by Home at mid wicket.
Home, who recently signed a three-year contract, was handed the ball and accounted for Luke Wells (38) who lost his middle stump working to leg.
Waite picked up a third scalp when George Bell (6) missed a straight delivery and was lbw.
Ethan Brookes added to Lancashire’s woes in his first over after tea as Bailey (11) became another lbw victim to a delivery which cut back.
Determined resistance came from Phillip and Balderson who added 56 for the ninth wicket.
But the innings was wrapped up with Balderson (38) caught low down by Waite at mid on off Brookes and then Phillip (30) was safely collected at cover by Brookes off van Beek.
Waite ended with figures of 14-5-38-3, Leach 14-4-37-2, Brookes 9-2-41-2, van Beek 9.1-1-26-2 and Home 9-1-25-1.
Worcestershire had time to face one over before bad light halted play at 0-0.
Worcestershire all-rounder Matthew Waite said: “The wicket looked tricky the first day and it was hard work for the top order batters and myself and Logan (van Beek) just went out with a lot of intent and decided to counter-attack and it came off a little bit.
“It is hard to play like that all the time and I think today they actually bowled a bit better and Tom Bailey is very accurate and Anderson Phillip ran in a bit harder this morning, to me especially.
“To get two half centuries in two knocks is pleasing. I had a bit of time out with my injury and I worked quite hard on my batting in this time and it is nice to get the rewards.
“Everyone did well with the ball, I got three wickets but if I’m being really critical I don’t think we bowled as well as we could have done, especially myself.
“I didn’t actually feel great today. I know I got three wickets and I’m really grateful for that but I think I’ve bowled a lot better this year and not got as many wickets.
“I think after tea we were a bit flat and maybe let the game drift a little bit but we got two wickets in two balls and then Rodders did well to get through the over before the bad light.
“I guess we will come back tomorrow and see what that holds. I think we are going to try and push for a result. That’s our way of going about things. Dolly is really big on trying to win every game so we will see where we get to tomorrow but we will definitely be trying to push for a win.”
