A regal innings of 119 not out by Vikram Solanki put Worcestershire Royals into a winning position in their Norwich Union League match against Division One leaders, Warwickshire Bears. Having said that, the innings was matched by one of equal magnitude from Shaun Pollock who so nearly prevented the Royals from taking over top spot in the table.

The home side won the toss but soon lost Anurag Singh for just four when there were eight on the board, bowled by Pollock. That was when Graeme Hick joined Solanki and the pair took the score along briskly to 94 when Hick was caught behind off Neil Smith for exactly fifty.

Of the other batsmen, only David Leatherdale reached 20, but Solanki was there at his majestic best. He faced 148 balls and hit 11 fours, so this was not a case of reckless hitting but the careful construction of an innings. There were two wickets each for Pollock, Smith and Neil Carter and one for Dougie Brown.

The Bears were left needing to score at 5.17 runs an over but were soon in trouble, subsiding to 75 for six. Captain Michael Powell managed 39 at the top of the order before he was fourth out with the score on 64. The heroes of Saturday, Ian Bell and Jim Troughton, scored five and nought respectively, with Troughton becoming the first of three wickets in quick succession for Stuart Lampitt who finished with the excellent figures of 9-3-35-3.

It was left to Pollock and Trevor Penney to try to resurrect the innings with a stand of 134 for the seventh wicket. They had to score at very nearly ten an over to bring about an unlikely victory and proceeded to make a very good fist of going for it. Penney played a very valuable supporting role as Pollock weighed into the attack with a volley of shots that kept the interest going right through to the end.

Penney had reached 50 when he was bowled by Kabir Ali but Pollock went on to what might well be the innings of the season. His 111 came from just 88 balls and included eight fours and six sixes. It was tremendous hitting and took his side to within just four runs of the Royals' total before time finally ran out. It was a knock that will never be forgotten by anyone lucky enough to see it.

© CricInfo