Cricket: Chapple profits on batters' paradise.

IT was a batters' day at Blackpool, as Lancashire amassed 500-plus and put themselves in control of the vital championship clash with Worcester.

The brand new pitch at Stanley Park appears a batsman's paradise and on the second day Glen Chapple was the one to really benefit.

After Mal Loye had failed t o secure his second double ton of the season - caught 13 short - Chapple set about firing his side to a first innings 562 for eight declared with some thunderous hitting.

He smashed 14 fours and one six on the way to a 67 for 82 balls - his 50 coming from just 35.

His knock was halted for just under two and a half hours by a torrential seaside storm that had been threatening throughout the whole game, and Chapple perished just three overs after the restart.

He was caught at long arm off the bowling of Ray Price and there was a danger the game could drift along with Lancashire frightened of declaring too soon for too little. But up-and-coming leg spinner Simon Marshall planted two sixes over the ropes - one into the adjacent park - along with three fours on the way to a 19-ball 26 not out.

That was not the last of the aggressive batting the healthy crowd were treated to as Chris Gayle played a brief but fiery cameo for Worcestershire. It had looked like the big West Indian could spoil Lancashire's victory hopes if he continued to smash boundaries all over - but Dominic Cork soon saw to that and bowled him for 43.

Cork also trapped Graeme Hick lbw for a duck and James Anderson bowled Stephen Moore for 40.

Moore's departure left the visitors on 111 for three when bad light brought an early end, 451 runs behind