WORCESTERSHIRE Royals’ young guns were unable to prevent a Dawid Malan-inspired Middlesex Panthers cruising to a six-wicket victory at Lord’s in the Clydesdale Bank 40.

The Panthers’ opener struck a fine 75 as the hosts comfortably chased down 217-6 under the floodlights at the Home of Cricket.

Having sent a side with an average age of 23 to Lord’s due to tomorrow's LV= County Championship Division One clash with Durham at New Road, Worcestershire didn’t look like they were going to post a defendable score against Middlesex.

However, an 87-run sixth wicket partnership between James Cameron and Gareth Andrew put the Royals in a reasonable position.

Zimbabwe-born Cameron, who came into this match as the County’s leading run-scorer in the CB40, hit an unbeaten 66-ball 60, while Andrew, wielding his Mongoose, rattled off a 35-ball 48 which saw him smash three sixes as the visitors closed on 217-6.

Worcestershire, after losing debutant Adrian Shankar in the second over, were given a decent start from skipper Moeen Ali (36) and Alexei Kervezee.

But, once Moeen went in the 12th over, the Panthers pegged the County back and took wickets at regular intervals.

Neil Pinner went for just five, edging Gareth Berg behind, before a leading edge from Kervezee saw him caught and bowled by Corey Collymore for 47.

Matt Pardoe, making his one-day debut for the Royals, missed a straight one from Tom Smith and was trapped lbw for 11 to leave the County 125-5 in the 28th over.

But then Cameron and Andrew got going and made full use of the batting power play as they added 51 runs in a four-over spell.

The former Zimbabwe under 19 international reached his half-century off 59 balls, while Andrew went pulling Anthony Ireland in the penultimate over and fell two short of a deserved 50.

Having got to a decent score of a greenish Lord’s pitch, Worcestershire needed to be tight with the ball.

However, the County attack struggled with their line and conceded far too many wides throughout Middlesex’s reply.

It was Andrew who made the breakthrough as Scott Newman pulled him to Pardoe on the boundary rope for seven.

Malan and Paul Stirling then put the hosts in the driving seat with a 62-run partnership before Shaaiq Choudhry bowled the latter for 41.

The Panthers’ opener continued in the same vein before he was caught at point by Pinner off the gentle medium pace of Cameron for 75.

But Australian Chris Rogers eased Middlesex home with an unbeaten 51 with 26 balls to spare.