LANCASHIRE are all but promoted back to the top tier of the LV= County Championship after wrapping up a seventh win from 12 matches against Glamorgan at Colwyn Bay.

The loss of 21 overs due to morning rain did not affect the Division Two leaders, who reduced their promotion rivals – following-on in reply to 698-5 declared – from 146-5 overnight in their second innings to 193 all out.

There were more than 52 overs left in the day when the victory, by an innings and 157 runs, was completed shortly before 2.20pm – in less than one hour and 20 minutes of play.

Glamorgan lost their last five wickets for just 12 runs in 53 balls to slip from 181-5 following a partnership of 61 between Chris Cooke, who made 57, and night-watchman Andrew Salter.

Lancashire are now 68 points clear of third-placed Glamorgan, although the Welshmen have a game in hand.

They are also 32 clear of Surrey in second, who have also only played 11 matches.

If other results go their way, Lancs could gain promotion in their next match against Glamorgan at Emirates Old Trafford, starting August 21.

“That was satisfying because, having identified the importance of this match with Glamorgan having played some good cricket, sat in third and a break of a month coming up, we recognised that if we could force a victory, it would give us some real breathing space,” said cricket director and head coach Ashley Giles.

“We’ve talked about it regularly, about getting over the line to promotion, and it almost gets us there.

“The number one aim is to win Division Two, and it also gives us some breathing space from Surrey, who have crept up on us. All round, you couldn’t have asked for a much better performance.”

Off-spinner Arron Lilley, watched by England’s lead spin coach Peter Such, struck twice in three balls in his first over of the morning having been introduced into the attack to prevent the players being taken off for bad light.

He finished with three wickets in the innings and seven in the match, getting Craig Meschede lbw and bowling Graham Wagg for ducks to leave Glamorgan in deep trouble at 181-8.

Fellow spinner Simon Kerrigan finished with 4-28 from 21.4 overs, including the last two wickets of the innings for the left-armer.

Australian seamer James Faulkner had earlier made the breakthrough by getting Cooke caught at first slip by a juggling Paul Horton.