TRENT BRIDGE: Worcestershire defeated Nottinghamshire by two wickets

Top-class bowling by international pair Zaheer Khan and Ray Price secured a two-wicket Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy victory for Worcestershire over Nottinghamshire despite a late rally by the hosts.

Indian left-arm seamer Khan took three wickets for 26 on his county debut while Price finished with impressive figures of two for 17 from his nine overs of left-arm spin, including three maidens.

Only Mark Ealham offered any resistance for Nottinghamshire, with an aggressive 51 from 62 balls and three wickets for 29 runs with his medium-pacers [2014] but the hosts' total of 161 was not enough.

Ben Smith top-scored with 41 for the visitors who survived a late scare with the loss of five quick wickets as Price secured victory with three balls to spare with a boundary off Greg Smith.

Rain delayed the start by an hour and in damp, overcast, conditions it was no surprise to see Worcestershire skipper Gareth Batty choose to field after winning the toss.

Zaheer and fellow opening bowler Matt Mason found life in the pitch immediately, with Nottinghamshire opener Will Smith caught behind off Mason for three.

A further rain stoppage further reduced the match to 43 overs a side but Mason found his rhythm straight away to induce a defensive edge from Jason Gallian to Davies for eight.

Things got worse when Anurag Singh and David Hussey were run out need-lessly before Price struck to have Chris Read stumped without scoring.

When Chris Cairns tried to pull a full-length ball from Zaheer and was bowled for 27 the hosts were 70 for six and struggling to beat their lowest total in the competition of 123 against Yorkshire in 1969.

Ealham and Gareth Clough put on a stand of 61 to steady the ship before Price bowled Clough around his legs for 26.

Graeme Swann topedged Zaheer to Smith at cover and Ealham's enterprising innings, which included four fours and three sixes, was ended by a yorker from Kabir Ali [2014] before Zaheer wrapped up the innings by bowling Ryan Sidebottom.

Worcestershire started their innings poorly with Daryl Mitchell leg-before but slowly added to their total.

Stephen Moore scored 25 before he was run out while Davies played well off the back foot for 33 but Smith's dismissal triggered a dramatic collapse.

He slashed Ealham high to substitute Samit Patel on the point boundary, Cairns had Batty caught at slip by Ealham, who then had Roger Sillence held at second slip by Hussey.

And when Kabir was leg-before in Ealham's final over, the visitors needed eight runs from the last three overs.

Graeme Hick cut Cairns for four but was caught off the next ball by Swann running back from cover.

Nottinghamshire scented an improbable victory but Read then dropped Price as he dived across first slip, and Price held his nerve to complete the win.