WORCESTERSHIRE rubber-stamped their place in the quarter-finals of the Benson & Hedges Cup with a seven-wicket win over Somerset at Taunton yesterday.

In a rain-affected match, Somerset made 126 for nine in 32 overs. Worcestershire then took 19 overs to wrap up victory on the Duckworth/Lewis method, finishing on 122.

Seam bowlers Stuart Lampitt and Matt Mason took three wickets each in restricting Somerset to their paltry total.

Graeme Hick and Vikram Solanki then both impressed with the bat as Worcestershire cruised to their fourth successive win.

Earlier, Somerset had made a positive start with openers Marcus Trescothick and Matthew Wood both hitting boundaries in the first two overs but both were soon out.

Wood was dismissed when he edged a Mason delivery into the safe hands of former England wicketkeeper Steve Rhodes.

Trescothick followed him back to the pavilion in the eighth over when his attempted hook was caught by Kabir Ali at fine leg.

Michael Burns and Keith Parsons also failed to contribute many with the bat as Somerset were reduced to 51 for five.

Rob Turner (30) and Keith Dutch (16) steadied the Somerset ship after both teams were forced off by bad light.

Andy Caddick made an early breakthrough for Somerset by dismissing Stephen Peters with the score on 18 -- but that only brought Hick to the wicket. His England career may be on hold, but he remains a dangerous proposition at county level.

He opened his shoulders immediately and smashed seven fours and one six on his way to 39 off j22 balls.

Solanki continued to chip away at the other end, and his unbeaten 48 saw Worcestershire home.