Worcestershire defeated Nottinghamshire by 16 runs

Left-arm spinner Ray Price proved to be the right man for Worcestershire yesterday as the Royals beat the Nottinghamshire by 16 runs in a tense game at New Road.

Zimbabwe international Price, playing in place of Kabir Ali, took four wickets for 21 - his best figures in one-day cricket - as Worcestershire defended a total of 190 on a pitch that kept the bowlers interested all day.

Put into bat by Nottinghamshire skipper Stephen Fleming, Worcestershire started their innings as though they were aiming for a target well in excess of 250.

Captain Vikram Solanki began and ended Andrew Harris's opening over with gloriously driven boundaries and opening partner Stephen Moore struck two fours in Richard Hodgkinson's first over as Worcestershire raced to 19 for no wicket.

But Hodgkinson soon had Solanki caught at slip by Fleming off a ball that bounced and left him for nine and Harris induced Moore into one drive too many and had him caught by the Notts skipper for 16.

Graeme Hick and South African allrounder Zander de Bruyn then added 54 for the third wicket as the Nottinghamshire seamers all struggled with their direction, bowling 21 wides including nine in one 13-ball over from Paul Franks.

After Hick fell to a good low catch by Samit Patel in the gully off the excellent Gareth Clough, Ben Smith and David Leatherdale soon followed to leave Worcestershire in some trouble at 109 for five.

But de Bruyn found a willing partner in vice captain Gareth Batty for a rescue mission as the pair added 68 for the sixth wicket in 18 overs.

Once de Bruyn departed lbw, playing across the line to Graham Swann for an invaluable 62, however, the end of the Worcestershire innings came quickly. Batty was run out and Chaminda Vaas, Price and Matt Mason were all caught trying to up the tempo as the last five wickets fell for just 13 runs.

Wicketkeeper Steven Davies, on his competition debut, was left not out on three, with Harris the most successful Nottinghamshire bowler, taking four for 41.

Nottinghamshire's innings started in a similar vein to Worcestershire's, with Swann and Fleming taking seven off Vaas's first over. But the Sri Lankan had Fleming smartly caught at slip by Hick in the third over and Swann soon followed, caught at slip by Solanki off Mason for a quickfire 20.

The introduction of Price into the attack in the 13th over brought immediate rewards, with Jason Gallian bowled by the spinner's fifth ball for 15. With Vaas claiming Australian David Hussey lbw for two and Price having New Road old boy Anurag Singh caught at short third man for 18, Notts found themselves struggling at 74 for five.

But Chris Read again showing what a good one-day batsman he is, and Franks dug in to add 58 for the sixth wicket before Read was caught and bowled by Batty for a well made 37.

Franks, who had been dropped by Vaas off Batty when he had made 16, tried to up the tempo for Nottinghamshire and hit Batty for six over wide long on, but Price returned to have him caught of a skier by Ben Smith and dismissed Patel lbw as the Royals held their nerve.