End of the Road for Crusaders as Bears Complete Easy Win

A score of 172 in 45 overs does not suggest particularly proficient batting, but it was more than enough for Warwickshire to see Middlesex off in a crucial National League Division Two game. The Bears' victory condemns the Crusaders to another season in Division Two.

All this said, it was a desperately dull game. The only light points were that Lord's let kids in free, and also - shock horror - allowed to play on the outfield at tea-time.

Not only was this game dull, it was of poor quality. Some accurate bowling was combated with some of the most appalling batting. The Crusaders won the toss, and put the Bears in on a decent looking track. Openers Mark Wagh and Anurag Singh made a steady, dour start, putting on 72 for the first wicket. Wagh was trapped leg before for 24, attempting to pull Simon Cook. Skipper Neil Smith came and went, run-out by his younger partner. Ostler was castled by Johnson, Hemp well caught by keeper Alleyne, and Penney bowled by seamer Tim Bloomfield.

At the other end, Singh was batting neatly. A firm hitter of the ball, his drive is particularly flamboyant. His 74 came from 125 balls, much slower than usual, and his dismissal gave Johnson his second wicket. It was all down hill from there on, with wickets falling in a hurry. Donald played what must have been one of the most irresponsible shots of his career, aiming a wild slog at Cook, only to see his off stump flattened. The Bears were eventually skittled for 172, with Johnson (3-26) and Cook (3-22), the pick of the bowlers.

Unfortunately for the Crusaders, they only have two consistent batsmen. Ramprakash and Langer were at the crease a lot earlier than they would have hoped, after Strauss was leg before to Dagnall for one, and Alleyne caught going for a rash pull shot for four. Langer played one glorious trademark pull shot, before he was run out thanks to a Trevor Penney direct hit. Ramprakash didn't last much longer, trapped leg before to give Dagnall his second wicket. When Ed Joyce was caught at cover following one of the most awful shots Lord's has ever seen, the Crusaders were 24-5.

Some dour defence followed from Paul Weekes. He was run out thanks to Allan Donald, and the writing was all but on the wall. Donald bowled seven overs in what will almost certainly be his last game at Lord's finishing with figures of 1-8.

Ben Hutton kept the Middlesex fans interested, making 49 before becoming Dagnall's third scalp. Brief cameos from Simon Cook and Richard Johnson could not sway the result, as the Bears duly completed a 37 run victory.