Gloucestershire push Surrey all the way
National Cricket League Division One Table Gloucestershire (246 for 6) beat Warwickshire (244 for 7) by 2 runs Scorecard Gloucestershire's hopes of a one-day double following their C&G win at Lord's on Saturday remained alive - if slim
Table
Gloucestershire (246 for 6) beat Warwickshire (244 for 7) by 2 runs
Scorecard
Gloucestershire's hopes of a one-day double following their C&G win at Lord's on Saturday remained alive - if slim - after their win over Warwickshire. The impressive Alex Gidman stroked 73 at almost a run-a-ball after Gloucestershire had made a pedestrian start, Philip Weston taking 16 overs to reach double figures, to enable them to post a respectable 246 for 6. Even though Gidman fell to a direct hit from cover by Nick Knight, Gloucestershire showed their one-day pedigree by taking 62 runs from the last five overs. Warwickshire slumped to 98 for 5 (with Jim Troughton unable to bat because of a muscle tear) before Trevor Penney (88*) and Dougie Brown (48) added 99 for the sixth wicket to bring them back into contention. With 39 needed from the final two overs the game appeared over, but Penney smashed four fours from the penultimate over from Harvey, leaving 20 required from the final over from Mark Alleyne. Penney slammed 16 from the first five balls but could only manage a single from the last ball. Gloucestershire are four points behind Surrey but have only two games left compared to three for the leaders.
Table
Lancashire (310 for 7) beat Somerset (286) by 24 runs
Scorecard
Lancashire recorded their highest National League total but they were still run close by a Somerset side who had looked down and out midway through their innings. Lancashire made Somerset's captain Mike Burns pay for his decision to put them in, scoring 310 for 7 in an innings built around a maiden National League hundred from Mark Chilton (103), and good support from Carl Hooper (82 from 78 balls) and Stuart Law (51 from 36). Somerset, handicapped by batting in the twilight, slid to 87 for 5, but Keith Parsons gave the decent home crowd some cause for cheer with a 79-ball 90 but Lancashire's total was never really under threat. The result took Lancashire back to the top and made them favourites to clinch the title.