AUSTRALIAN all-rounder Andy Bichel made his highest score in one-day cricket as Worcestershire took a huge step towards booking their place in the knock-out stages of the Benson and Hedges Cup.

Bichel and Vikram Solanki rescued a Worcester side chasing Glamorgan's 228-9 from an uncertain 46-3 in the 18th over and guided them to victory by five wickets with 16 balls to spare.

The Queenslander scored exactly 100 off 116 balls with 11 fours and a six, his second 50 runs coming from only 34 deliveries.

He brought up his century by pushing Robert Croft into the off-side for a single but in the next over he was run out.

The Australian dominated a fourth wicket partnership of 106 in 18 overs although Solanki, more watchful, certainly played his part before he was beaten by the flight when charging down the wicket to Croft and was stumped for 44 off 62 balls.

It left Worcestershire needing 51 off the remaining 10 overs, but David Leatherdale and debutant Nick Boulton proved more than equal to the task. It was Leatherdale who ended Glamorgan's misery by pulling Darren Thomas for the winning runs.

Earlier, Steve James and Keith Newell had both made significant contributions to a Glamorgan total that was lifted by an impressive 63 off 64 balls by Maynard.

James was unluckily run out one run short of his half-century. Michael Powell drove Stuart Lampitt back down the wicket and the medium pacer's attempt to field the ball deflected it into the stumps leaving James, backing up, about a foot out of his crease.

Powell went in the next over, bowled when giving spinner Matthew Rawnsley the charge, and after Adrian Dale had top edged to square leg Maynard and Newell set about a revival.

Newell had hit a six and three fours off 40 balls in a quick fire 36 of the 58-run fifth wicket partnership when he went down the wicket to Graeme Hick's first ball of the match and was bowled.

It was the start of a remarkable spell by Hick, who also sent back Adrian Shaw and Thomas in quick succession to finish with three for 23 from five overs.

Maynard's battling innings came to a close in the penultimate over when he square cut Bichel straight to Lampitt at point.