SCOTLAND came through a dismal start to their Trophy campaign to clinch their first victory of the year after a nailbiting finish to their match against Worcestershire, cut to 25 overs a side by morning rain.

The foundations were laid by their Australian batsmen, Corey Richards and Ian Moran, setting the county side a challenging target and then the bowlers showing a commendable discipline as they kept the pressure on their opponents, all of them coming up with the vital stingy overs when it mattered.

In the end it was left to Dewald Nel, with Graeme Hick at the crease, to see out the final over, knowing that with Worcestershire needing 20 runs from it, only a disaster could prevent victory. He held his nerve and Worcestershire were left short. “I have always felt that he could develop into a good death bowler and will never learn unless we let him do that and he came through for us,” Craig Wright, the captain, said afterwards.

Richards had been imperious, coming to the wicket with his team in trouble as wickets fell cheaply all around him but going straight on the attack, smacking the county bowlers all round the wicket. He started at a good pace and accelerated as the innings went on, reaching his fifty off just 52 balls, hitting seven fours and a six on his way, and then raising the tempo to finish on 88 from 70 balls.

True, he rode his luck, being dropped by Steven Davies, the wicketkeeper, off a skied attempted drive and missing fielders with a couple more miscues, but the 29-year-old former Australian A team player deserved any good fortune he got for his daring approach to the job and the confidence with which he kept the scoreboard ticking over.

For most of his time, he got excellent support from Moran, his fellow Australian, who joined him with the score on 77 for five and helped to add 92 runs in double time before being run out when he thought about a quick single and was sent back. By then Scotland were well their way to a more than respectable 187 with a few lusty heaves from Paul Hoffmann and a final six from Richards wrapping up the innings.

Even with that target, you would have expected the more experienced Worcestershire batsmen to get there and when Vikram Solanki was at the crease it looked as though they would cruise to victory.

But when he left, Hick, never quite at his overpowering best, could not quite catch up.