Worcestershire crush Derbyshire in NUL

Derbyshire's second National League game at Derby under lights ended in humiliation as Worcestershire cruised to a 138 run victory with 6.2 overs to spare in a totally one sided contest to go top of Division Two.

Brilliant batting from Philip Weston and Vikram Solanki carried Worcestershire to their highest total in the competition since 1975 when Derbyshire were again on the receiving end.

A score of 288-6 was never likely to be within Derbyshire's range and they subsided to 150 all out with only some spirited resistance from the tail rescuing them from complete embarrassment.

In mitigation, Derbyshire were weakened by the absence of eight first team players, four of them seam bowlers, and they lost Wasim Khan early in the Worcestershire innings when he damaged a hand in the field.

But nothing should detract from the quality of the batting which was always impressive and at times superb.

The fall of Anurag Singh to the third ball of the innings was merely the prelude to an exhibition which turned into a slaughter as Derbyshire's attack was demolished on an evening of stifling temperatures.

Weston and Graeme Hick provided a platform with a second wicket stand of 128 before Nathan Dumelow bowled the former England batsman for 53.

But Dumelow was later savaged by Solanki and Weston who plundered 135 in 12 overs and the off-spinner ended with the chastening figures of 2-59 from five overs.

Weston made 134, his highest one-day score and the best individual innings against Derbyshire in the competition.

It was batting of high quality and the opener had hit five sixes and eleven fours by the time he skied Dumelow to midwicket.

Solanki combined power with elegance to score 63 from 38 balls before he was bowled by Paul Aldred but a total of 288-6 suggested the game was already decided, particularly as the side batting second under lights usually loses.

That impression was confirmed when Derbyshire slumped to 36-3 in 11 overs with Andy Bichel sending back Mathew Dowman and Steve Stubbings after Alamgir Sheriyar had Luke Sutton caught down the legside.

Derbyshire's hopes of salvaging some respectability dipped even further when Rob Bailey was bowled by Kabir Ali who then had Graeme Welch well caught by Bichel running back towards midwicket.

Khan became his third victim when he was caught behind in the 20th over and although Paul Aldred and the lower order delayed the inevitable, Derbyshire had once again been totally outplayed.