Three in a row as Gloucestershire take B&H Cup

Somewhere, W.G. Grace is smiling. Gloucestershire have been transformed from a weak, unfashionable county to the premier force in one day cricket. The team famously described by the `elite' in the England side as `Minor Counties West,' are alive and kicking, very, very hard. The current Gloucester team boasts neither Jessop or W.G., nor Hammond or Walsh, but it was with a fantastic team effort from a spirited county that they crushed Glamorgan by seven wickets to lift the Benson and Hedges Cup.

The victory was Gloucestershire's third consecutive win in a Lord's showpiece final, an unprecedented feat. The west-country county beat Yorkshire in the Super Cup Final, and Somerset in the Natwest Final last year, the most successful in the club's history. Having sealed a win yesterday, they have won three of their five trophies in less than twelve months.

Few thought that it would be so easy yesterday. An estimated 11,000 Welshmen had journeyed to the capital to support Glamorgan. A groan went through the ranks of Gloucestershire supporters when the news came that Glamorgan had won the toss, choosing to bat. In the past few years, Gloucestershire have struggled to chase runs, preferring to unleash their seamers having scored a mid-range total. Glamorgan too, have a propensity to collapse under pressure, so would have been delighted to secure first knock on a cracking looking pitch.

Robert Croft and Matthew Elliott opened up for Glamorgan, on a glorious sunny day, but soon both were back in the pavilion. Croft, batting obscenely out of his crease, trying to combat the seam of Ian Harvey, hit a leading edge, brilliantly caught by Jon Lewis at mid-off. An ecstatic Harvey picked up the wicket of his Victoria buddy Elliott, flattening the left-hander's leg stump. New man Mike Powell struggled initially, struck several times in the box and on the finger by Smith, who was mixing mediocrity with brilliance to provide an interesting cocktail.

Still, Glamorgan were not going to lie down. Matthew Maynard looked a world apart, as he timed the ball from the beginning of his innings. A push through mid-wicket went top the fence, as did a scorching pull, with Lewis suffering badly. Maynard bought up his half-century with a slashed drive backward of square. Powell too, was beginning to find some form, timing the ball well and scampering between the wickets. One criticism that could be levelled at the Welsh is that they did not accelerate enough to take the game away from Gloucestershire, or even to gain much of an initiative. It was to cost them dear. Snape picked up Powell two runs short of his 50, caught and bowled by a Jeremy Snape quicker ball. Powell and Maynard had added 137, and it was Adrian Dale that came to the crease, to try and keep the run-rate up.

Dale ran himself out for five, as a clatter of wickets began to fall. James Averis, who was bowling another cracking spell - his eventual figures of 2-49 did him no justice - broke Steve James' off stump in two. Keith Newell mis-hit a Harvey full toss to mid-off. Keeper Adrian Shaw hit Averis low to Barnett at mid-on. Alex Wharf was plumb leg before, and Harvey claimed his fifth wicket, bowling Steve Watkin.

In between the wickets, Maynard reached his century, a wonderful innings peppered with drives and pulls, tempered only given that he lost the strike toward the end of his knock. He was the last man out, for 104. It was an innings which eventually won him, perhaps unfairly, the gold-award. 225 was certainly a competitive total, but Glamorgan were restricted by some fine fielding - particularly Hancock and Snape - and bowling, led by Ian Harvey, who finished with 5-34, completely flummoxing the Glam batsmen late on.

If Gloucestershire wished for a solid start, they would have fallen short of the mark. For they got a sensational start from Tim Hancock and Kim Barnett. Barnett drove his first ball through the covers for four, whilst Hancock pulled twice to the fence in Watkin's first over. The openers continued in this vein, for 80 glorious runs in a touch over 15 overs. Barnett was the first to fall, edging a wide one from Croft onto his stumps, gone for a fine 39. The new man was Rob Cunliffe, and he set off where Barnett had left off.

Cunliffe hit three boundaries in his all too short knock of 24, he and Hancock motored between the wickets. Cunliffe went with the score on 118, after edging a Steve Watkin lifter through to Adrian Shaw.

Meantime, Hancock had reached his half-century. The 28 year old had played a fine knock, and helped to set up a Gloucester win. He fell on 60, a diving grab from Owen Parkin.

At 131-3, Gloucester were wobbling just slightly. Although it took Windows and Alleyne a while to get in, they were soon playing commanding innings. Windows launched himself at anything short, punishing Dale and Wharf in particular.

Alleyne was content to give Windows the strike. By the time Windows had reached his half century, Gloucestershire had done the necessary. Mark Alleyne hit the winning strike, hitting nonchalantly through the leg side. Gloucestershire had won by seven wickets, with 19 balls to spare.

They may have won three trophies in a year, but the celebrations were just as raucous. The crowds still cheered when Russell lifted the trophy, cheered for Alleyne, for Martyn Ball, the most spirited 12th man in the country, for Mike Smith, for Ian Harvey. In short, the fans were cheering for a squad nurtured and developed by their excellent coach John Bracewell. The day leaves just one question, when will Gloucester be back at Lord's.