MAL LOYE hammered the Scots for his fourth half century in five one-day innings to leave Lancashire sitting pretty at the top of their National League table.

Loye hit 88 from 92 balls in an unbroken opening stand of 170 in 28 overs with Mark Chilton as Lightning romped to a 10-wicket win over the Scottish Saltires in a rain-affected Second Division match in Edinburgh with nine overs to spare.

It was a sixth successive defeat for the Saltires, whose promising start in county cricket including a shock win at Old Trafford is now a distant memory.

But there was no sympathy from Lancashire who were determined to gain revenge for that embarrassment and have now won their last seven one-day games excluding the Twenty20.

"We haven't lost since the first Scotland game and our one-day results have been pleasing," agreed manager Mike Watkinson.

"The teams below us have got games in hand but it's nice to have the points on the board."

John Wood also played a big part in Lancashire's win, taking four for 22 in eight overs including the key wicket of the Saltires' Indian Test star Rahul

Dravid, who was looking dangerous on 26 when Wood surprised him with extra bounce to have him caught behind off the glove.

Wood, who is still waiting for his first Championship chance of the season, was also Lancashire's most economical bowler in the win against Middlesex on Sunday, even though he left the field after bowling his nine overs straight through and spent the rest of the afternoon throwing up in the Lord's pavilion.

"He wasn't so well at the weekend but Woody has been excellent for us in one-day cricket all along," added Watkinson.

Peter Martin and Glen Chapple had put the Scots on the back foot at one for two with a wicket each, and their eventual total of 168 for seven never looked likely to be enough.

Lancashire then received a helping hand from Gregor Maiden, the off-spinner who has been a regular in the Red Rose second team this summer, as he dropped Loye on 14.

The former Northants man made Maiden pay, smashing 10 fours and three sixes to take his tally to 313 runs in the last five one-day games, and leave Lancashire two points ahead of his old county in the Second Division table.

The Steelbacks have the chance to reclaim top spot this Sunday, when they go to Durham and Lancashire have a game against India A at Blackpool, but Lightning are now 10 points clear of fourth-placed Middlesex - and on course to return to the First Division after three years in the wilderness.