Lancashire moved top of Natwest Pro40 Division Two after battling through two rain breaks to beat Northamptonshire by eight wickets on the Duckworth-Lewis method at Wantage Road.

Rain initially reduced the match to a 35-over contest, but another two-hour break early in the Northamptonshire innings meant the contest was trimmed to 21 overs per side.

After being put in to bat, the hosts struggled to 102 for seven with Johan van der Wath’s quickfire 35 late in the innings adding some respectability to the total as Kyle Hogg (3-18) and Stephen Parry (2-12) ripped through the Steelbacks batting line-up.

A further interruption for rain early in the Lancashire innings reduced the target to 88 off 18 overs, but openers Tom Smith, who hit an entertaining 43 off just 28 balls, and VVS Laxman (38 not out) helped them cruise home with 6.1 overs to spare.

Stand-in Lancashire skipper Mark Chilton’s decision to field first looked inspired early on as Sajid Mahmood struck in the first over to trap Stephen Peters lbw for a duck.

Fellow opener Riki Wessels fared no better as he top-edged a pull off Hogg to Steven Croft, running in from deep midwicket .

Heavy rain gave Northamptonshire time to regroup as the break reduced the match by 28 overs but, after the skies cleared, Lancashire, who lost Mahmood during the interval with a side strain, picked up where they left off.

Seamer Hogg took the wickets of Niall O’Brien and Alex Wakely in the space of four balls before Smith found Nicky Boje’s edge to leave the hosts reeling on 25 for five.

Left-arm spinner Parry had Andrew Hall stumped by Gareth Cross for 13 and bowled Rob White for 23, although van der Wath added a swashbuckling 35 off 28 balls.

Defending a Duckworth-Lewis revised target of 100, Lancashire were handed a blistering start by Smith and Laxman.

Northamptonshire were made to rue poor fielding as Laxman was dropped by David Willey and Andrew Hall in the first two overs before a brief rain break reduced Lancashire’s target to 88 from 18 overs.

Smith fell narrowly short of 50 when he was bowled steeping across his stumps to Hall, and England spinner Monty Panesar had Paul Horton caught at cover by Peters, but the game was as good as won.