FOUR wickets from pace bowler Matt Mason and a half-century from Graeme Hick eased Worcestershire to a 35-run victory over Gloucestershire under the Duckworth/Lewis method at Bristol.

Gloucestershire could manage only 143 in difficult batting conditions as Mason grabbed the bowling honours with four for 35.

Then, after the early loss of Kadeer Ali to James Averis, Hick and Vikram Solanki shared a second-wicket stand of 65 to keep Worcestershire on course.

Solanki was caught at slip off Mark Alleyne for 20 but Hick was unbeaten on 52 when rain brought play to an end at 6pm with Worcestershire on 98 for two from 24.4 overs.

Hick was at his imperious best as he struck seven fours and a five -- which came courtesy of four overthrows from Jonty Rhodes -- in his 56-ball innings.

Mike Smith delivered a tight opening spell for Gloucestershire, but Mark Hardinges struggled for accuracy and Hick took consecutive boundaries off him in the opening over.

Worcestershire captain Ben Smith must have been pleased to win the toss and few of the Gloucestershire batsmen came to terms with a slow pitch which assisted the seamers.

Spearman opened in style with four crisply hit boundaries, but Gloucestershire's innings struggled for momentum once he was bowled shouldering arms to Mason.

Indeed, Gloucestershire managed only 57 runs between the 10th and 30th overs of their innings and their total might have been worse had it not been for a sixth-wicket partnership of 48 between Matt Windows and Hardinges.

The pair were threatening to take the score above 160 when their departures to successive deliveries in the 43rd over began a collapse which saw five wickets tumble for five runs.

Windows, having pulled the previous delivery from Mason for six, skied a drive to Smith at mid-on and departed for 38.

Hardinges was pinned leg before for 19 and then Nantie Hayward and Kabir Ali wrapped up the tail.

Hayward had Jack Russell caught by Solanki at point and Martyn Ball at extra-cover, while Smith edged Kabir Ali to wicketkeeper Steven Rhodes with nine balls of the innings remaining.