LEADERS Worcestershire had victory over Gloucestershire in their sight when the weather intervened decisively and left the match drawn.

Rain, which had completely washed out Friday's play in this Frizzell County Championship Division Two clash, struck again at Cheltenham on Saturday half an hour before tea and persisted long enough to put a resumption out of the question.

Gloucestershire, at the stoppage, still had 35 runs of the first-innings deficit of 168 left to clear and had five wickets standing. In terms of overs, another 43 remained to be bowled.

Resistance to Worcestershire's bowlers came mainly from former South African Test player Jonty Rhodes, who remained unbeaten with 58.

Rhodes reached his 50 off 102 balls, with seven fours, and pulled his compatriot, Andrew Hall for six, just before it began to rain.

Interrupted

Worcestershire, resuming their rain-interrupted innings at 392 for seven, batted on for another 44 minutes to add 47 from 62 balls, with veteran wicketkeeper Steve Rhodes scoring 63 off 100 balls.

Rhodes, who hit nine fours, was eventually caught on the boundary from a pull at Jon Lewis, who wrapped up the innings with the very next ball.

Clouds started to gather as Gloucestershire began their innings with just over an hour left for lunch, prompting the ball to swing.

In his very first over, Kabir Ali produced a beauty which nipped back to bowl former New Zealand Test batsman, Craig Spearman, who was on the back foot, defending.

Former Worcestershire batsman Phil Weston and Rhodes fought doggedly to establish themselves and stayed together until lunch, putting on 44.

But directly after the partnership had reached the 50 mark, Weston edged a drive at Kabir and was caught behind.

Matt Windows, who battled bravely for an hour, was undone by a ball from Hall which kept low to claim him lbw.

With only 19 runs added, at 115, two wickets fell to successive balls from off-spinner Gareth Batty.

Alex Gidman lofted a catch to mid-on and Pakistani Shoaib Malik, was caught at short-leg to provide Worcestershire with their last success, 20 minutes before the rain arrived.