Giles stuns Cork - and Derbyshire

Ashley Giles made his first one-day hundred to inspire Warwickshire to a 40 runs win over Derbyshire at Edgbaston in their NatWest fourth-round match. The visitors fought back through opener Mike di Venuto and kept the contest open until almost the end.

Yet it was Giles' imposing 107 from 97 balls with 12 fours and two sixes which settled the match in taking Warwickshire to the strong position of 257-8 in their allotted overs. He fell finally to Dominic Cork, but gained some satisfaction form catching "the man of the hour" of England's dramatic win at Lord's when he seemed to have hit Dougie Brown for six. Cork stared in amazement as Ashley held the catch at the second attempt.

Giles had a hand in the bowling as well in dismissing Simon Lacey and Mathew Dowman. Man-of-the-Match? Do you have to ask? Derbyshire had seen quite enough of Mr Giles as they were put out for 217 in the 47th over. Giles has played in only five limited-over international matches in spite of being in some thirty squads for his country. This was more than a subtle hint to the selectors who had left him out of the side for the NatWest Series against West Indies and Zimbabwe. Here he was joined in stands of fifty runs or more by Mike Powell (25), Dominic Ostler (32) and Trevor Penney (34) in conditions which at the start had seemed to favour the faster bowlers.

Cork seemed to start where he had left off at Lord's by having opener Graeme Welch (11) caught by Karl Krikken at mid-on - a stroke that was induced by the tight bowling of Cork and Tim Munton, who had played "at home" at Edgbaston for 15 years - and had Powell missed by Luke Sutton who was keeping wicket because Krikken had suffered a back spasm in practice.

Giles' arrival at the crease - with his spate of boundaries - and a change of bowling saw Warwickshire take command. Thereafter Derbyshire's bowlers toiled generally in vain as Giles passed his previous best limited-over score (69). Simon Lacey gave up 14 runs in the last over of the innings.

Steve Titchard faced all but six of the first 47 deliveries when Derbyshire batted. When he and Cork were out Di Venuto (84 from 97 balls) hit back with a number of forceful strokes. He reached his 50 in 64 balls, but lost the support of Dowman had to leave the field after being hit on the shoulder by a ball from Allan Donald (4-420. Krikken (35) took over in a combative manner so that the score reached 164-2 in the 37th over. As happens so often Donald's return to the attack and further wickets by Giles stemmed the challenge and Derbyshire finished on 217.

Giles said afterwards: "I just want to be given the opportunity to play. I feel I haven't had that. I played five games over a long period of time and would just like to be given a run ... having a successful season for Warwickshire and if I get runs and wickets then maybe it will help my chances at the end of the season.''

As for catching Cork: "I've never taken a catch like that before and the umpire Nigel Cowley came up to me and asked me to give him six numbers for this night's lottery".