Worcestershire went to the top of the Norwich Union League Division Two with a convincing 138-run victory over Derbyshire last night.

Superb batting from Philip Weston and Vikram Solanki powered Worcestershire to 288-6 from 45 overs.

A depleted Derbyshire side slumped to 61-6 and, despite some resistance from the tail, subsided to 150 all out in 38.4 overs.

Derbyshire began well enough when Anurag Singh was caught at extra cover off the third ball of the game.

From then on, the bat ruled with a vengeance as Weston and Graeme Hick provided the springboard for a savage assault in the closing overs.

Hick made 53 in a stand of 128 for the second wicket, but Weston and Solanki then shredded the bowling in the humid heat.

Weston hit five sixes and 11 fours in his 134, his best one-day innings and the highest individual score against Derbyshire in the competition, before he skied Nathan Dumelow to midwicket.

That ended a stand of 135 in 12 overs with Solanki, who needed only 38 balls for his 63 including two sixes and five fours.

Derbyshire were soon in decline as Andy Bichel and Alamgir Sheriyar reduced the home side to 36-3.

Luke Sutton was caught behind down the leg-side, Mathew Dowman was bowled aiming to leg and Steve Stubbings was defeated by one that bounced and left him.

Stuart Lampitt bowled Dumelow off his thigh and Kabir Ali beat Rob Bailey's forward push in the next over to reduce Derbyshire to 47-5.

Bichel took a good catch running back towards mid-wicket to remove Graeme Welch and when Wasim Khan was caught behind, Derbyshire were 70-7 and there was no way back despite a flourish from Paul Aldred (37) and Chris Bassano (28).