Champion Gloucester's dramatic victory

Ian Harvey - Hustled Leics to defeat Photo © AllSport

Gloucestershire, holders of the NatWest Trophy, showed the quality of real champions as they beat Leicestershire by 10 runs at Grace Road - coming the day after they had beaten Worcestershire in their replayed match from the preceding round. In a dramatic turn-about they took their host's last five wickets for just nine runs in three overs to grasp victory from apparent defeat.

Leicestershire seemed to be sailing to victory with just 20 runs needed from the last five overs with five wickets in hand. Ian Harvey (4-40) had other ideas and wrecked their prospects by taking three of the last five wickets.

In the morning Gloucestershire rode their luck with Kim Barnett (86) surviving two dropped catches before he had reached ten. Yet he and Chris Taylor (41) took the visitors to a healthy 210-8 and justified their decision to bat. The position looked even more healthy when Leicestershire lost two batsmen early on.

Darren Stevens (55) and Darren Maddy (72 from 83 balls with five fours and two sixes) recovered the position, and powered Leicestershire to the brink of victory. Barnett's catch to dismiss the latter off Harvey triggered the collapse. Nobody could stay around long enough to stop the rot and Leicestershire tumbled out for 200 runs in 48.1 overs.