PAUL Pollard was Worcestershire Royals batting hero when they opened up a four-point lead at the top of the National League Division One table with a 47-run win over Northamptonshire Steelbacks at New Road.

The rain-affected victory was achieved under the Duckworth-Lewis system and was Worcestershire's third triumph on the trot in the competition.

The wet weather meant the match was originally reduced to a 34 overs affair, but a brief downpour shortly after the County's innings left bottom-of-the-table Northants facing a revised target of 181 off 27 overs.

They were restricted to 133-9 with three wickets each for teenage paceman Kabir Ali and spinner Richard Illingworth.

After being put in, Worcestershire made 207-4, thanks largely to Pollard who cracked 89 including 11 fours off 90 balls. It was his highest score for the County.

He launched his side's innings with Reuben Spiring and both soon began to signal their intentions, putting on 46 in eight overs before Spiring was dismissed for 15.

Vikram Solanki then joined Pollard who completed his fourth half-century in all cricket this season with six fours off 51 deliveries. Their stand was worth 62 in 11 overs before Solanki fell for 30.

Pollard finally departed when he was trapped leg before by Darren Cousins after adding 69 in 11 overs with Elliott Wilson.

David Leatherdale was run out for 17 with Wilson remaining unbeaten on 32 including two fours off 39 balls.

Northants' batsmen never got to grips with their revised target despite a spirited 55 by Kevin Innes.

Their first three wickets tumbled with a mere 12 runs on the board, including Mal Loye and Matthew Hayden in successive delivered from Glenn McGrath.

It was Ali, however, who really put the skids under Northants by claiming a League-best return of 3-19.

After that it was curtains for the visitors who, following David Ripley's dismissal, were in deep trouble at 32-6.

Innes and Adrian Rollins (23) figured in a partnership worth 48 in six overs, but it was not enough to knock Worcestershire out of their stride. By the time Innes became part of Illingworth's 3-26 return he had stroked two sixes and four fours off 47 deliveries.