GARETH Batty enhanced his reputation as one of England's brightest spin-bowling prosp-ects by leading table-topping Worcestershire to a nine wicket success over Frizzell County Championship division two promotion rivals Somerset at Bath.

Batty, a member of England's academy last winter, returned six for 88 in 39.1 overs as the County dismissed Somerset for 367 in their second innings.

Jamie Cox made a superb 160 for the home side, but the last four wickets fell for only 11 runs in seven overs.

Worcestershire were left with the straightforward task of scoring 68 runs in 29 overs to claim the victory that would put them top of the table and the visitors got there for the loss of Anurag Singh's wicket.

Worcestershire director of cricket Tom Moody was delighted by his side's third consecutive win, which has allowed them to overtake Somerset at the top.

He said: "Jamie Cox's innings was one of quality but the guys stuck to their task very well, particularly after we lost Nantie Hayward with an ankle problem early in the day. It was important Gareth stood up to be counted today with us having lost Nantie, and he was always going to bowl a lot of overs. It was not an ideal pitch for spin. It spun but very slowly. But he persevered and bowled very well.

"He's started the season very well and has come back an improved bowler from the academy. If he keeps improving, the sky's the limit for him."

Defeat was particular galling for Cox and captain Mike Burns, who showed great application and good judgement to bat through nearly all the first session after Somerset had resumed on 144 for three.

The pair had put on 179 for the fourth wicket - a county record against Worcestershire - when Burns edged an away-swinger from Andrew Hall to Vikram Solanki at first slip. The Somerset skipper's 57 came off 151 balls and contained six fours.

Cox, who had looked in excellent form from the start, progressed to his third championship century of the season just after lunch when he flicked a delivery from Batty behind square for two runs.

Ian Blackwell had not looked so convincing and he fell for 10 to a catch by substitute fielder David Leatherdale at silly point off Batty.

Rob Turner proved good foil for Cox and the pair added 52 in 14 overs before Turner, offering no shot, fell leg before to Batty.

Cox departed in similar fashion seven overs later when he shouldered arms to a delivery from Hall which swung in sufficiently for umpire Mark Benson to uphold the lbw appeal, even though the Somerset batsman had got well forward.

Cox's 265-ball innings included 26 fours, the majority of which had been driven or cut through the off side.

Six balls later, Keith Parsons gave a bat-pad catch to Singh at short leg off Batty and the game had suddenly changed with the home side on 356 for eight at tea.

Batty, who got some appreciable turn from the pavilion end, wrapped up the innings quickly after the interval as he had Keith Dutch caught at slip by Graeme Hick and Simon Francis taken at silly point by Leatherdale.

Worcestershire romped to their target in just 7.1 overs. Singh drove a catch to James Bryant at point off Francis, but Solanki's hit ensured the win came quickly with a flurry of boundaries.

Solanki's unbeaten 20 included two straight sixes off Blackwell's left-arm spin.