TOM Bailey bowled Lancashire to a third LV= County Championship victory in five matches during a remarkable final two sessions against Leicestershire at Grace Road today.

The first-year pro took five of seven wickets to fall for nine runs in 47 balls as the hosts slipped from 20-0 to 29-7 before tea having been set 323 in 59 overs.

Bailey, who bowled 10 no-balls in the first innings from the Bennett End, struck in the seventh, ninth, 13th and 15th overs of Leicestershire’s chase from the Pavilion End on the way to career best figures of 5-12 from nine overs in his eighth match.

The 24-year-old, left out of last week’s defeat against Gloucestershire, was only picked with Peter Siddle on Australian Test duty.

Leicestershire, reduced to 41-8 at tea, were bowled out for 78 inside 31 overs as Lancashire claimed 23 points from a 244-run win.

Lancashire started the day at 39-2 in their second innings, leading by 158, and they advanced to 203-5 declared just after lunch as Ashwell Prince finished 76 not out.

Prince shared 107 inside 19 overs with Alex Davies for the fifth wicket either side of lunch. Davies hit an enterprising 54 before captain Steven Croft declared ten overs into the afternoon.

Bailey, whose previous best haul was 3-38 in the opening round win over Derbyshire, started the home rot when he had Lewis Hill smartly caught at first slip by Paul Horton.

He comprehensively bowled Ned Eckersley in his next over, the ninth of the innings, before Kyle Jarvis struck the key blow in the tenth when Australian Mark Cosgrove top-edged a short ball behind, leaving the score at 21-3.

The wickets continued to tumble as Leicester, who have not won a Championship fixture since September 2012, did not do themselves any favours.

Neil Pinner top-edged a hook at Jarvis to long-leg in the eleventh before Bailey picked up three more wickets in eight balls as the score slipped to 29-7 in the 15th.

He had Angus Robson and Niall O’Brien caught at second slip by Croft and bowled Ben Raine.

Jordan Clark then struck in the final over before tea – the 22nd – when he forced Tom Wells to play on.

Nathan Buck got Clint McKay (24) caught behind off a top-edged pull and Charlie Shreck caught at third slip to wrap up the win with almost 29 overs remaining.