WORCESTERSHIRE cruised to a 96 run win when they launched their Benson and Hedges Cup campaign against Northamptonshire at Kidderminster yesterday.

A Gold Award-winning batting performance by Paul Pollard set the scene for a comprehensive victory which they secured with 12.4 overs to spare.

After winning the toss, the County battled to 227-7 thanks largely to Pollard who made 69 which contained seven fours off 117 balls.

Along the way he put on 57 in 18 overs with Vikram Solanki who made a valuable 28.

After Pollard was dismissed, a 60-run stand in eight overs between David Leatherdale and Andy Bichel began to put Northants under pressure.

Leatherdale made 58, including six fours off 68 balls, while Bichel stroked 29 off 23 deliveries. He hit five fours, with Northants paceman Darren Cousins claiming a one-day best 4-23.

Northants never got to grips with their target and were all out for 131. Only Jeff Cook (38) and Graeme Swann (37) exceeded 20, with Bichel the County's most productive bowler with 3-38.

Pollard felt the County were well worth their win. He said: "It wasn't an ideal wicket for myself. It was a bit low and not much pace in it, but luckily we got a few bad balls early on and we managed to get away to a half decent start.

"We knew anything towards 180 was going to be a challenging score, but the two turning points were when David Leatherdale came in and his 58 off 68 balls I thought was a great effort.

"I thought that swung us up to looking at 200 and then Andy Bichel's 29 off 23 balls managed to get us up to 227.

"The team would have been very upset if we had lost with that score on that wicket. We are pretty happy. We've got a good unit, especially for one-day games, and everybody knows what their game is."

WORCESTERSHIRE

Pollard c Warren b Innes 69

Singh b Cousins 6

Hick lbw b Cousins 9

Solanki c Loye b Swann 28

Leatherdale c Warren b Cousins 58

Bichel c Hussey b Blain 29

Weston not out 11

Rhodes c & b Cousins 0

Lampitt not out 7

Extras: 10

Total: (7 wkts, 50 overs) 227

Fall of wickets: 1-15, 2-42, 3-99, 4-144, 5-204, 6-213, 7-214.

Bowling: Cousins 10-3-23-4; Blain 8-0-69-1; Innes 8-0-35-1; Penberthy 10-0-44-0; Brown 6-0-23-0; Swann 8-0-29-1.

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE

Hussey c Rhodes b Bichel 5

Loye c Solanki b Sheriyar 1

Cook c Bichel b Lampitt 38

Warren c Solanki b Sheriyar 0

Penberthy run out 8

Swann c Bichel b Leatherdale 37

Innes c Bichel b Lampitt 0

Ripley b Bichel 14

Blain c Weston b Rawnsley 11

Cousins lbw b Bichel 3

Brown not out 5

Extras: 9

Total: (37.2 overs) 131

Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-17, 3-17, 4-43, 5-64, 6-68, 7-107, 8-111, 9-118.

Bowling: Sheriyar 8-2-14-2; Bichel 10-2-38-3; Lampitt 7-1-18-2; Rawnsley 6.2-0-38-1; Leatherdale 6-1-19-1.