Worcestershire romped to victory with a day to spare as the bowling attack produced a ruthless display to record victory by an innings and 259 runs.

Having skittled the Foxes on day one for 148, Azhar's double century on day two, combined with Jack Haynes' ton, saw the hosts open up a lead of 300.

Ben Cox and Brett D'Oliveira also reached half centuries before the Pears eventually declared on 577/6 on Saturday before Ben Waite and Dillon Pennington combined for seven wickets in dismissing Leicestershire for 170 and securing a convincing win.

Worcestershire took a maximum 24 points from the fixture and puts them back in contention for a promotion place in Division Two of the County Championship.

Worcestershire resumed on 456-3 at New Road, and captain D’Oliveira added two to his overnight 52 before he became Wiaan Mulder’s fourth scalp of the innings.

Azhar, who resumed on 202, set the aggressive tone with a succession of boundaries.

He eventually played on to Chris Wright to end his marathon nine and a quarter-hour knock on 225.

An innings full of class spanning three days and 350 balls included one six and 22 fours and was Worcestershire’s highest individual score since Moeen Ali’s 250 versus Glamorgan at New Road nine years ago.

Ed Barnard made a breezy 26 as Worcestershire topped the 500 mark before the all-rounder hooked Wright down long leg’s throat, but Cox provided the significant acceleration.

He cleared the long Cathedral side boundary for the first of his three sixes and two more maximums off new Leicestershire red ball captain Callum Parkinson and hurried him to a 42 ball half-century.

Worcestershire surpassed their 121-year-old record score against Leicestershire of 561 at Leicester before the declaration.

The visitors needed a solid start, but Rishi Patel managed only a single before he was plumb lbw to Pennington.

Hassan Azad was brilliantly caught and bowled by Charlie Morris and there was no respite for the Running Foxes, Colin Ackermann being trapped LBW by Pennington.

Pennington bowled with great fire, but it needed a superb catch by keeper Cox to provide him with his third wicket.

Lewis Hill had just completed a 64 ball half-century when he tried to pull the pace bowler and top-edged the ball towards fine leg, but Cox running back at full tilt, managed to hold onto a diving catch at full stretch.

Waite, on loan from Yorkshire, came into the attack and Mulder (24) was bowled after offering no stroke.

There was more joy for Waite when he clung onto a catch to account for Harry Swindells on the brink of tea.

The end came swiftly for Leicestershire with Ben Mike, Ed Barnes and Rehan Ahmed all caught behind by Cox, the first two off Waite and the last of them from the bowling of Morris.

The victory was completed when Waite hold onto a chance by Wright (31) off Barnard.