YORKSHIRE-BORN Gareth Batty hammered Yorkshire Phoenix for the second year running yesterday to send Norwich Union League Division One leaders Worcestershire Royals storming to victory by six wickets at New Road.

The former Yorkshire player, younger son of county coach 'George' Batty, notched his best one-day score for Worcestershire of 54 during an unbroken fifth wicket stand of 109 with Ben Smith, who had moved to 92 when the 208 target was reached with three overs to spare.

Bradford-born Batty's fine effort won him his club's Champagne Moment award but it was not the first time that his bat has scythed down Yorkshire.

Last year, while on Surrey's books, Batty bashed an unbeaten 83 in the day-night match at The Oval to register what remains his career-best score.

Worcestershire's comfortable win increased their lead at the top of the table but it also effectively ended Yorkshire's tilt at the title.

At 99-4, Worcestershire were struggling against a brave Yorkshire attack which contained only one capped bowler, Chris Silverwood having pulled out at the last minute with a recurrence of his foot injury.

Skipper Darren Lehmann and off-spinner Andy Gray kept Smith and Batty tied down for a long while but with 30 overs gone Lehmann unaccountably brought back medium pacers Anthony McGrath and Gary Fellows and the runs started to flow.

It was also a puzzle why Lehmann never once turned to England off-spinner Richard Dawson to see if he could also keep Worcestershire in check.

Smith, who was was firmly in control from the moment he came in at 17-2 after Chris Elstub and Ryan Sidebottom had got rid of the openers, finished on 92 from 104 balls with ten fours, while Batty's knock contained five boundaries and his runs came off 60 deliveries.

Yorkshire won the toss and decided to bat first on a pacy pitch but they were severely troubled by a hostile new-ball spell from Australian Andy Bichel, who was returning home after the match in preparation for international duties with his country.

Bichel bowled as rapidly as anyone Yorkshire have come up against this season and he struck three times as they dipped to 35-3 in 11 overs.

Matthew Wood was bowled off his glove, pinch-hitter Dawson was caught behind first ball from an unplayable delivery and McGrath edged a second catch to wicketkeeper Steve Rhodes.

Vic Craven played positively for his 25 until he was taken low down at second slip off Matthew Mason and Yorkshire once again in this competition were left to rely heavily on Lehmann, who held things together with 56 from 69 balls with eight fours before David Leatherdale came on and had him driving a catch to mid-off.

Fellows (28) and Michael Lumb (32) both made useful contributions but Yorkshire's final score of 207-8 was still slightly under par for the conditions.

Updated: 12:48 Monday, July 29, 2002