Leicestershire suffer Payne

Gloucestershire 133 for 3 (Klinger 55*) beat Leicesteshire 136 for 8 (Smith 55*, Payne 4-23) by seven wickets (D/L method)
Scorecard

David Payne claimed four wickets as Gloucestershire strengthened their position at the top of Group A with a seven-wicket win over Leicestershire in a rain-affected match at Bristol.

The visitors posted 136 for 8 from 25 overs after losing the toss, their innings having been interrupted by the weather at 61 for four after 15 overs. Greg Smith top scored with an unbeaten 55 off 73 balls with six fours and a six, while Payne returned 4 for 23 from six overs.

Gloucestershire's target was revised to 131 under the Duckworth-Lewis method and they coasted to victory with 13 balls to spare, skipper Michael Klinger unbeaten on 55 and Will Gidman on 39 not out.

Dan Redfern was the pick of the Leicestershire bowlers with 2 for 19 from five overs, but it was a day when the weather conspired against the Foxes.

After the start had been delayed for an hour by morning drizzle and the game initially reduced to 45 overs per side, Payne wasted no time plunging Leicestershire into trouble. In his first over, the second of the game, he had Niall O'Brien caught behind by Gareth Roderick for a duck, while his next three overs also featured wickets.

Angus Robson also fell to a catch by Roderick for 13, while Matthew Boyce's off stump was removed by an inswinger when he had made four. When Payne bowled Redfern for 6 with the first ball of the eighth over he had figures of 4 for 14 and Leicestershire were 31 for 4.

Greg Smith and Shiv Thakor were forced to exercise caution after such a collapse and had taken the score to 61 by the end of the 15th over when more rain set in.

Payne finished his six-over spell with 4 for 23, while Gidman was typically miserly in conceding just 19 from his five overs.

The sun finally broke through at mid-afternoon and when the covers had been removed umpires Peter Willey and Steve O'Shaughnessy decided to restart play at 3.45pm with the game reduced to 25 overs a side.

Leicestershire had just ten more overs to build a competitive total and that hope suffered an immediate blow as Thakor got an inside edge to the first ball after the resumption from Benny Howell and became Roderick's third victim, having made 11.

Scott Styris did his best to inject some zest with 29 off 24 balls, including a swept six off Jack Taylor, but he then skied Craig Miles to deep midwicket. The next over saw Tom Wells bowled by Taylor and Leicestershire were 115 for 7.

Jigar Naik fell cheaply to Taylor, but the off-spinner's last over saw Smith strike him for four, six, and four in a glittering three-ball spell that included two reverse sweeps to give his side a chance.

Klinger and Hamish Marshall set about the reduced target with zest, putting together and opening stand of 46 inside nine overs before Marshall advanced to a wide ball from Naik and was stumped for 22.

But Redfern then caused some nerves by striking twice in the 12th over, bowling Chris Dent on the back foot for seven and having Will Tavare caught at mid-wicket. At 59 for 3, Gloucestershire needed 72 off 13 overs. But Klinger, who faced 66 balls and hit five fours, found a reliable partner in Gidman and the pair saw the hosts safely home.

After the game Payne said: "It was an important toss to win. We always like to bowl when rain is about and have been talking about taking wickets up front, so I was delighted to make that contribution.