WORCESTERSHIRE newcomer Anurag Singh warmed up for the new season with a fine half-century in yesterday's first pre-season friendly at Nottinghamshire.

The former Warwickshire batman hit 54 in the County's total of 233-5 off their allotted 50 overs.

It was not enough, however, to prevent Notts from winning by two wickets with seven balls to spare.

Singh cracked seven fours off 89 balls and figured in a 71-run stand for the first wicket for Paul Pollard (18).

Graeme Hick made 38 before retiring, with the County's tally being boosted by an undefeated 55 from Vikram Solanki who notched four sixes off 59 deliveries.

By the time Notts had clinched victory by reaching 237-8, the County's most successful bowler was David Leatherdale who took 3-37. Chris Liptrot took 2-55.

WORCESTERSHIRE

Pollard c Afzaal b Clough 18

Singh st Read b Pietersen 54

Hick retired 38

Solanki not out 55

Leatherdale c Read b Logan 39

Weston c Logan b Smith 7

Rhodes c Read b Franks 0

Lampitt not out 2

Extras 20

Total (5 wkts, 50 overs) 233.

Fall 71/1, 118/2, 194/3, 222/4, 229/5.

Bowling: Smith 10-1-37-1; Logan 10-2-48-1; Franks 10-3-36-1; Clough 10-0-45-1; Pietersen 10-0-57-1.

Nottinghamshire

Bicknell c Rhodes b Sheriyar 19

Welton lbw b Leatherdale 41

Hewison lbw b Liptrot 8

Afzaal run out (Solanki) 3

Pietersen c Sheriyar b Leatherdale 58

Read c Sheriyar b Leatherdale 2

Franks b Rawnsley 37

Johnson c Hick b Liptrot 19

Clough not out 15

Logan not out 12

Extras 23

Total (8 wkts, 48.5 overs) 237.

Fall 38/1, 84/3, 75/2, 90/4, 203/7, 110/5, 173/6, 211/8.

Bowling: Sheriyar 9-1-55-1; Liptrot 10-1-55-2; Lampitt 10-0-50-0; Leatherdale 9.5-1-37-3; Rawnsley 10-0-34-1.

n Worcestershire seconds lost by 40 runs against Oxford Universities Cricket Centre of Excellence in a friendly in The Parks yesterday.

Oxford made 215-8 off their 50 overs while the County were restricted to 175-8.

New signing Nick Boulton, the former Somerset batsman, made 89.