Gloucestershire succumb to Brown's all-round skills

Dougie Brown produced an outstanding all-round performance to steer Warwickshire to a five-wicket Norwich Union League first division victory over Gloucestershire at Archdeacon Meadow.

He claimed 3-34 with the ball to restrict the champions to 152-9 and then scored a powerful half-century as the Bears reached their target with 16 balls in hand.

Dominic Ostler contributed an unbeaten 70 and shared in a third-wicket stand of 115 with Brown, who struck 61 from 107 deliveries before being trapped lbw by Martyn Ball.

Warwickshire captain Michael Powell had earlier won the toss and seen his bowlers take full advantage of a green-top Gloucester Festival wicket.

Brown destroyed the top order, taking 3-8 in an inspired six-over spell with the new ball, while Mo Sheik produced figures of 3-17 in a miserly spell from the River End.

Tim Hancock, Kim Barnett and Chris Taylor all fell cheaply to Brown, and Charlie Dagnall bowled unchanged to register 1-22 from his nine overs.

Gloucestershire never recovered from losing four wickets inside the first six overs and Mark Alleyne was the only batsman to play himself in successfully.

Gloucestershire's captain scored 68 from 115 balls and added 46 for the ninth wicket with Michael Cawdron who contributed an unbeaten 29.

Alleyne eventually fell to Ashley Giles who finished with 2-14.

Gloucestershire desperately needed to take early wickets and Cawdron and James Averis obliged, sending back David Hemp and Neil Smith respectively to reduce the Bears to 11-2.

Deprived of the injured Mike Smith and Jon Lewis and without Australian one-day international Ian Harvey, the home side lacked the cutting edge necessary to run through the Bears' batting.

Off-spinner Ball was the pick of their bowlers, claiming 3-15 in five overs.