ESSEX Eagles stayed on top of totesport League Division One after registering a fifth successive win -- and their second in three days -- by beating Worcestershire Royals by 39 runs at New Road.

The visitors made steady progress to 203-9 and this proved to be more than enough after unexpected bowling success for Will Jefferson as Worcestershire capsized for 164.

The opener, who earlier top-scored with 39, had never bowled in the league until he broke a rapid opening stand of 66 with wickets in his first two overs.

Graeme Hick (31) attempted to cut and edged to slip, while Stephen Moore (29) gave a catch to James Foster for the first of four dismissals by the wicketkeeper.

Ravinder Bopara made the next breakthrough with two wickets in his second spell and Stephen Peters offered the only resistence for struggling Worcestershire.

In his first league outing since August last year, the former Essex batsman became the highest scorer in the match with an unbeaten 41.

Although Jefferson hit five boundaries, the most by any batsman in a low-key Essex innings, his accumulation through 25 overs set a sluggish tempo.

This was maintained down the order until Ryan Ten Doeschate hit an unbeaten 34 from 38 balls.

The seamers moved the ball round from the outset and later, left-arm spinner Ray Price posted figures of 2-30 to give the former Zimbabwe Test bowler 10 wickets in six league matches this season.

Price bowled Jefferson behind his legs and quickly hoodwinked Foster with a stumping for James Pipe, but Bopara held up the home side until he was lbw for 33 in an economical stint by the ever-reliable David Leatherdale.

When Chaminda Vaas came back to bowl Andre Adams, Essex escaped from 167-8 with 34 from the last four overs.