WORCESTERSHIRE skipper Ben Smith cracked 91 to help his side beat Herefordshire by 18 runs under the Duckworth-Lewis method in yesterday's Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy clash at New Road.

"I'm happy with the way it's gone," he said after registering his highest score in the competition which contained two sixes and nine fours off 88 balls.

It enabled the County, last season's beaten finalists, to make 279-8 in a match initially reduced to 47 overs a side because of rain.

They now face a home tie against Somerset on Saturday, May 29, after restricting their neighbours to 146-4 after 29 overs when a heavy downpour ended their spirited run chase.

Their top scorer was Worcester-born opener Richard Hall, who was undefeated on 54 which included nine fours off 86 deliveries. His fine efforts helped keep Herefordshire in sight of the Duckworth-Lewis target which just proved too much for them when the heavens opened to dash any further hopes of play.

Man-of-the-match Smith said: "We were put under a bit of pressure with the Duckworth-Lewis system. We actually found ourselves playing against it and not even thinking about defending 279, so it's two games you play when there is a dark cloud looming like there was.

"I enjoyed the partnerships we built in the middle of the innings with the other guys, but I think the nicest part about batting is looking up at the end and seeing you've done well yourself. But when you are out there you actually enjoy batting with your partner which is the main thing.

"Now we've got Somerset and it'll be a great day. If we keep the winning habit I'm sure we'll do well."

Herefordshire skipper Chris Boroughs said: "We got close but unfortunately we kept losing wickets just at the wrong times which pushed the Duckworth-Lewis target up quite a bit. We identified where the rain was coming from all through the day and we could see all the clouds gathering, so we moved Franklyn Rose and Martin McCague up the order to try and get up there, but we were always a few behind."

Earlier Herefordshire, who won the toss, had worried the County by reducing them to 8-2 after four overs.

South African Andrew Hall, in his first appearance of the season for the County following his return from playing in his native country, helped calm nerves by figuring in a 54-run stand in eight overs with Graeme Hick.

Hall eventually fell for 34 when he was caught behind by Ismail Dawood, the former Worcestershire wicketkeeper who was drafted in by Herefordshire to replace Sri Lankan ace Aravinda de Silva.

Hick finally departed for 41 after putting on 53 in nine overs with Smith who then helped bury Herefordshire in a partnership worth 119 in 21 overs with Stephen Moore, who notched a limited-over best 47.