WORCESTERSHIRE Royals' latest floodlit experience turned out to be anything but illuminating as Northamptonshire Steelbacks inflicted a crushing seven-wicket National League defeat at Wantage Road.

Even Glenn McGrath -- on his last county appearance before joining up with the Australian squad at the weekend -- was powerless to prevent the home side avenging their 47-run setback at New Road a couple of months ago.

The Royals were always struggling to stay in contention after collapsing to 56 for five inside the first 20 overs.

Not even a battling partnership between skipper Steve Rhodes and Stuart Lampitt could threaten to spoil Northants' party.

Paul Pollard's unlucky early dismissal provided a clear indication that it was going to be one of those days. Philip Weston's straight drive was deflected on to the stumps at the non-striker's end, and third umpire Ray Julian ruled that Pollard was out of his ground.

David Leatherdale hit 40 from 56 balls but it was only when Rhodes and Lampitt settled into their 73-run stand for the seventh wicket that the Steelbacks' stranglehold was briefly loosened.

A target of 180 appeared unlikely to stretch Northants unless McGrath made significant inroads with the new ball.

He didn't, and although Leatherdale and Lampitt accounted for Adrian Rollins and Jeff Cook in the space of three overs, that was about as good as it got.

Man-of-the-match Mal Loye, severe on Kabir Ali in the young seamer's opening spell, cracked 11 boundaries in his 75, adding 105 in 17 overs with David Sales to settle things.

McGrath returned to account for Loye, holing out with 16 still needed, but the Royals looked anything but top-of-the-table material as Sales finished with two boundaries off Kabir.