LEICESTERSHIRE snatched a dramatic Frizzell County Championship Division Two victory against Worcestershire at Grace Road -- after they had looked doomed to defeat.

The hosts won by 12 runs as Worcestershire, chasing their fifth league success of the season, were dismissed for 128 in 45.1 overs as they chased a modest victory target of 141.

On a wearing pitch, giving some help to the bowlers, the visitors' batting collapsed against the seam and swing of veteran Ottis Gibson and teenager Stuart Broad, with left-arm spinner Dinesh Mongia also claiming two wickets.

It was an astonishing turnaround to a game Worcestershire seemed to have in their pockets by the close of play on the third day.

Leicestershire at 132-5 had a lead of just 34 and to all intents and purposes the match looked as good as over.

But a defiant 85 from wicketkeeper Paul Nixon, aided and abetted by valuable contributions from Broad and last man Charl Willoughby, pushed the home total to 238.

It was Nixon's best score for two years and came off 135 deliveries and included 13 boundaries.

Disappointingly for him, he was run out off the second ball after lunch when a century had looked within his grasp.

Broad, in only his second Championship game, made 14 and Willoughby finished unbeaten on 16 -- just two runs short of a career best.

Left-arm spinner Ray Price finished with 4-64 runs, his best Championship return for Worcestershire.

Even on the helpful pitch, which had variable bounce, a target of 141 in 59 overs looked well within the visitors' reach.

But when Gibson claimed the early wickets of Stephen Moore and Graeme Hick with two brutish deliveries, Worcestershire were on the back foot.

Only a dogged 49 from Steve Davies kept them on course, but with Broad clean-bowling former Leicestershire favourite Ben Smith and Willoughby having Zander de Bruyn caught at slip, the visitors were 83-4 at tea.

But the important wicket came in the seventh over after the interval when Davies trod on his own wicket as he stepped back to pull a short-pitched delivery from Gibson.

His departure triggered an astonishing collapse as Worcestershire lost their last six wickets for 33 runs in 11 overs.

Broad, 19 next week, claimed two of them to finish with 3-31 and match figures of 7-95 to confirm the high hopes Leicestershire have of him.

Gibson took 3-41 while Mongia nipped in for the important wickets of Daryl Mitchell and Nadeem Malik -- trapping both of them leg before with quicker deliveries to finish with 2-8.

It was Leicestershire's second win of the season and their first at home and meant a disappointing start for Steve Rhodes in his first game in charge as Worcestershire's new coach, having replaced Tom Moody.

It was also a sad farewell appearance for Chaminda Vaas in his last Championship game for the New Road club.