Brown the spin master

Northamptonshire moved to the top of the Second Division table after completing an emphatic victory over Worcestershire by an innings and 72 runs with two sessions to spare at Wantage Road.

Northamptonshire moved to the top of the Second Division table after completing an emphatic victory over Worcestershire by an innings and 72 runs with two sessions to spare at Wantage Road.

The visitors resumed their second innings on 102 for 6 and were dismissed for 198, with the off-spinners Graeme Swann and Jason Brown proving their side's match-winners for the second game in a row. Swann claimed 5 for 55 while Brown took 4 for 88 to add to the 17 wickets they shared against Warwickshire last week.

Brown broke through in the second over of the morning when Steve Rhodes failed to connect with a big hit towards mid-wicket and was bowled for four. Paul Pollard and Stuart Lampitt then held up Northamptonshire for 18 overs, adding 37, but Pollard edged Brown to the wicketkeeper David Ripley on nine and at 140 for 8 there was no way back.

Lampitt continued to play positively, looking to attack the spinners whenever possible, and he completed a spirited half-century off 84 balls with six fours. He lost Kabir Ali for 12, pushing Swann to Tony Penberthy at silly-point, and although Alamgir Sheriyar enlivened proceedings with two sixes off successive deliveries, Brown had his revenge when Sheriyar holed out just before lunch having made 17.

Lampitt's unbeaten 56 proved the pitch was not impossible to bat on but the home side were able to complete their fourth win of the season - their first against Worcestershire since 1995 - with ease.

They are now hoping David Sales and Mal Loye, both struggling with knee problems, will be fit by tomorrow when they face Sussex for the first of two matches against the second-placed county in a fortnight.