Relegation-threatened Warwickshire were on course to secure a vital win after asking Worcestershire to follow on in their LV County Championship Division One match at Edgbaston.

The Bears have won just once this season to hover above the relegation zone, but an impressive display from 20-year-old seamer Chris Woakes has them well-placed to collect maximum points.

Woakes claimed figures of five for 40 to skittle the visitors for 154 inside two sessions before they were asked to bat again still trailing by 289 runs.

Opening pair Stephen Moore (63) and Daryl Mitchell (25) had made a better fist of their second innings, adding 91, before Woakes struck twice in eight balls, either side of Boyd Rankin claiming a wicket of his own, to put the hosts in full control.

Worcestershire were 123 for three when bad light and rain forced a premature end, but with 166 runs still needed to make the hosts bat again Warwickshire will fancy their chances of securing a much-needed win on Saturday.

Woakes, who appeared for the England Lions earlier this year, bowled with control and movement that preyed on the uncertainty of a Worcestershire side who have mustered only 21 batting points this season - the lowest in the two divisions.

At least half of the batsmen contributed to their own dismissals, starting with a mix-up between the openers in Rankin's first over of the day.

Moore (five) played the ball towards Sri Sreesanth at mid-on and set off for a run but was left stranded when Mitchell stayed in his crease.

The real problems began when Mitchell (30), wafting at Woakes' fifth ball, was caught behind by Tim Ambrose. The seamer then produced a beauty to bowl Ben Smith (four) and in his fifth over he had three for eight after Moeen Ali's (nought) steer to Ian Bell at third slip.

Woakes, who took eight wickets in a Lions match against the West Indies early in the season, made Steve Davies (eight) his fourth victim before lunch with another catch by Bell.

Another fine delivery brought his fifth wicket in 40 balls when Vikram Solanki was lbw soon after lunch for 27, and Worcestershire were 97 for seven when Gareth Andrew edged Sreesanth to Ambrose.

Warwickshire's first noticeable lapse - Tony Frost dropping a low chance in the slips - briefly relieved the pressure as Richard Jones (24) and Alexei Kervezee (33) shared in the highest partnership of 45.

The resistance quickly ended with two wickets for Naqaash Tahir. Jones missed a swinging full toss and Kervezee drove to mid-off before Rankin bowled last-man Imran Arif.

Warwickshire were not stretched until Moore launched the second innings with 10 fours in reaching 50 from 64 balls, but Worcestershire were wobbling again when Woakes had Mitchell caught by Jonathan Trott at second slip.

Two balls later, Moore carved Rankin to Bell at third man and in Woakes' next over, Jim Troughton did well to hold a chance from Smith (nought) at point.