Davies sets the standard

Steven Davies clears the off-side field on the way to a match-winning century

Worcestershire wicketkeeper Steven Davies cracked a brilliant unbeaten century in his side's crushing 105-run NatWest Pro40 Division One win over Lancashire at Old Trafford.

The 22-year-old left-hander recorded the maiden one-day hundred of his fledgling career to set the Royals on their way to a first victory of the campaign after a defeat to Nottinghamshire and a washout against Sussex.

Today's clash was reduced to a 25-over contest because of early afternoon rain in Manchester.

Lightning captain Glen Chapple, standing in for the rested Stuart Law, won the toss and decided to field first, but Davies set off in blistering fashion on his way to an 83-ball 103 that included 12 fours and three sixes as Worcestershire totalled 189 for five.

Off-spinner Gareth Batty claimed three wickets for just two runs from three overs as Lancashire were bowled out for 84 inside 18 overs.

Davies cracked Chapple for six over point in the second over, doing so again in the 16th over, to set the tone.

Royals captain Vikram Solanki hit a brisk 28 in an opening stand of 70 in less than nine overs but was caught by Gary Keedy at mid-on off Tom Smith.

Davies also drove well on the up and hit Steven Croft for a crisp maximum over extra cover.

Smith, playing his first game for Lancashire since returning from a successful loan spell at Leicestershire earlier in the week, was the home side's best bowler.

Davies dives to catch Francois Du Plessis as Lancashire slip to 32 for five at Old Trafford

The 22-year-old finished with figures of 2-27 from his allotted five overs as he also picked up the wicket of Graeme Hick, brilliantly caught by a diving Francois Du Plessis running in from long-off.

Ben Smith chipped in with a run-a-ball 15 while the in-form Stephen Moore made 12 from 15 balls.

Sajid Mahmood and Chapple both claimed a wicket each but were expensive. Left-arm spinner Keedy finished with 1-16 from five overs.

Lancashire made the worst possible start to their reply when Lou Vincent holed out to Matt Mason in the first over for just one.

Paul Horton immediately cracked two boundaries but was bowled by Gareth Andrew for 12 to leave Lancashire 22 for two in the fifth over.

Mal Loye went in the next over, was caught at mid-off by Moeen Ali off Imran Arif, and when Gareth Cross fell for a duck to Daryl Mitchell in the next, Lancashire were in tatters at 27 for four.

Du Plessis continued the slump when he skied Andrew to Davies, and Lancashire had lost four wickets for 10 runs in four overs to slip from 22 for one to 32 for five.

Batty later got Kyle Hogg, Croft and Chapple (23 off 14 balls) as Moeen Ali got Mahmood and Andrew picked up his third wicket - that of Keedy - to finish with 3-12.