MOEEN Ali prospered at Old Trafford to help Worcestershire make an encouraging start to their County Championship Division Two clash against Lancashire.

The batting all-rounder top-scored with 78 off 188 balls in the battle of last season’s relegated sides as the visitors closed the first day on 227-6 from 96 overs after being invited to bat.

Ali, who also bowls off-spin, underpinned a win in last year’s corresponding fixture with 12 wickets.

This year it has been his batting that has enabled the Pears to build a useful platform.

Debutant Wayne White, Luke Procter and left-arm spinner Simon Kerrigan picked up two wickets each and Lancashire’s bowling figures look healthy.

But in conditions aiding swing if not offering much movement off the pitch, the hosts will have wanted to bowl a tighter line earlier in the day. Kyle Hogg was the most dangerous bowler on show with both new balls.

White claimed the first wicket to fall with just his sixth ball in Red Rose colours when Matt Pardoe got a leading edge to a diving Glen Chapple at mid-off to leave the score at 28 for one after 15 overs.

Fellow opener Michael Johnson was trapped leg before wicket shortly afterwards by Procter before Ali and Sri Lankan Thilan Samaraweera shared 57 for the third wicket inside 18 overs to steady the ship.

The latter was then furious at being drawn into a cut off Kerrigan, which he feathered behind to Gareth Cross as the visitors fell to 93 for three in the 37th.

Ali, handed a life on 42 when a full-blooded cut off Chapple burst through Steven Croft’s grasp at third slip, also survived a run out scare on 49 when Simon Katich threw down the stumps at the non-striker’s end from mid-on.

But he reached 50 and saw Alexei Kervezee depart to White, caught low down at second slip by Croft, before adding 54 for the fifth wicket with Neil Pinner.

Ali then undid some of his hard work by trying to hit Kerrigan for a second six over long-on, only to find Ashwell Prince on the fence.

Worcester captain Daryl Mitchell could not open the batting due to illness and came in at seven. He will have been disappointed to lose Pinner so late in the day lbw to Procter in the 94th over.

Mitchell (36 not out) had been forced into a late team change before the toss when seamer Richard Jones pulled up with a tight hamstring. David Lucas took his place.