Gidman leads Gloucestershire into top two

Captain Alex Gidman led from the front as Gloucestershire moved into second place in Group A of the Clydesdale Bank with a four-wicket win over Worcestershire at Cheltenham.

First Gidman claimed 3 for 20 from eight overs after winning the toss to help restrict the visitors to a modest 144 for 7, Phil Hughes top-scoring with an unbeaten 64.

Then after Gloucestershire had plunged from 51 without loss to 81 for 5 in reply, Gidman steadied the ship with an unbeaten 33, sharing a key sixth-wicket stand of 47 with Ed Young (28) as his side won with 12.5 overs to spare.

Spinners Moeen Ali (three for 33) and Brett D'Oliveira (two for 35) had threatened to bowl Worcestershire back into the game, Moeen grabbing three wickets in his first three overs from the Chapel End to remove Benny Howell, Dan Housego and Ed Cowan.

But Cowan (29) and Hamish Marshall (26) had given the hosts a brisk start chasing down their modest target and Young's confident 22-ball innings, which included the only six of the game off Moeen, helped Gidman see Gloucestershire home.