Lancashire Lightning moved to the top of Natwest Pro40 Division Two after battling through two rain breaks to beat Northamptonshire Steelbacks 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 match was reduced to 21 overs per side.

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

And despite another rain delay early in the Lancashire innings, openers Tom Smith (43) and VVS Laxman (38 not out) made light work of their chase to help the Lightning finish on 91 for two and pick up the two points.

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

Fellow opener Riki Wessels fared no better as he smashed Hogg straight up in the air in the next over and Steve Croft took a simple catch running in from the mid-wicket boundary.

Heavy rain gave Northamptonshire time to regroup as the break reduced the match to 21 overs per side, but after the rain relented Lancashire - who lost Mahmood during the interval with a side strain - picked up where they left off.

Paceman Hogg took the wickets of Niall O'Brien (four) and Alex Wakely (eight) in the space of four balls to leave the hosts reeling on 19 for four.

Skipper Nicky Boje was the next to go cheaply when he edged Tom Smith to wicketkeeper Gareth Cross for two before Cross stumped Andrew Hall (13) off the bowling of Parry.

Rob White was bowled by Parry for 23 trying to increase the run rate before 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 openers Smith and Laxman.

Northamptonshire were made to rue poor fielding as Laxman was dropped twice 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.

Hall bowled Smith as he fell short of a half-century in the ninth over before England Test reject Monty Panesar claimed Paul Horton (one) as he was caught at cover by Peters.

But Laxman and Francois du Plessis (two not out) steadied the ship to ensure the Lightning reached their total with 37 balls remaining.