History repeats itself

Two matchwinning centuries today set up a repeat of last year's final: Worcestershire will once again face up to Gloucestershire to decide the winner of the Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy after both teams won their semi-finals.

Worcestershire stormed through, beating Warwickshire by 41 runs at Edgbaston. They were helped by a century from Vikram Solanki, who was lucky to survive a close lbw shout from Neil Carter first ball, but went on to star in a 146-run opening partnership in 32 overs with Stephen Moore, which set up a total of 257 for 4.

After Worcestershire were put in under overcast conditions, Solanki was the more aggressive of the two openers, and brought up his half-century from 64 balls with a swept four off Ashley Giles. Moore eventually fell for 57, slapping Brad Hogg to Dougie Brown at long-on. With the exception of Solanki, the Worcestershire batsmen found it hard to score quickly on a slow pitch, and Nick Knight used shrewd bowling changes, backed up by excellent fielding, to keep the run rate down.

Graeme Hick scratched around for 12 balls for 5 before he hit Brown to Hogg at mid-on (159 for 2). Solanki, who has been included in England's 30-man provisional squad for the Champions Trophy, brought up his hundred from 110 balls, and Ben Smith hit a six and a four in an aggressive 23 before clipping Carter to Knight at midwicket (211 for 3).

Solanki's fine innings came to an end in the 46th over when he was bowled by Brown (237 for 4), but David Leatherdale (27 not out) and Andy Bichel (10 not out) took Worcestershire past 250.

In reply, Warwickshire got off to a flyer despite the early loss of Carter, with Knight and Mark Wagh adding a rapid 65 for the second wicket. Wagh was particularly strong on the drive, crashing Bichel several times through the covers, and the 50 came up in the 10th over. Knight rode his luck, twice edging Matt Mason past Steve Rhodes for four, but it was Wagh who fell first, caught by Solanki off Andrew Hall (85 for 2).

When Knight was run out for 37 (93 for 3), the Warwickshire innings lost its way, collapsing to 115 for 5 as Ian Bell and Hogg both failed with the bat. An 84-run partnership between Brown (47) and Trevor Penney (41) kept Warwickshire in the hunt, but after Brown was trapped lbw by Gareth Batty (199 for 6), the wheels came off and Warwickshire were bowled out for 216 in the 48th over.

Meanwhile at bristol, Craig Spearman guided Gloucestershire home against Yorkshire, with an innings replete with impeccable timing, placement and, against the spinners, improvisation. Gloucestershire ended up winning by five wickets, chasing down Yorkshire's 243 for 6.

Spearman smashed 143 off 122 balls, with 14 fours and four sixes, and was aggressive from the start. Tim Bresnan's first two overs went for 26, and only Matthew Hoggard was spared as Spearman raced past 50. Philip Weston provided some support before he drove Hoggard straight to Darren Lehmann at extra cover to depart for 16, but Mike Hussey pulled his second ball for four as Gloucestershire kept the momentum going.

Hussey fell for 35, inside-edging an attempted late cut off Anthony McGrath into his stumps (142 for 2), and Matt Windows scored 19 before he too was bowled, by Hoggard (189 for 3). However, at the other end Spearman was in full swing, and brought up his hundred off only 85 balls. Chris Taylor was run out for 10 (205 for 4), and James Franklin managed only 8 (233 for 5), but Mark Alleyne stayed with Spearman, who hit the winning runs, appropriately, with a boundary.

An unbeaten 80 from Lehmann had been the highlight of the Yorkshire innings. He smashed seven fours and a six in his 90-ball knock, and was the only visiting batsman to come to terms with the slowness of the pitch.

Yorkshire got off to a good start, with Matthew Wood racing to 32 off 38 balls before he became Jonathan Lewis's first victim, caught by Martyn Ball (47 for 1). Wood had been particularly severe on Franklin, whose first three overs went for 25. Michael Lumb and Michael Vaughan added a further 43, but some economical bowling from Ball and Mike Smith made runscoring hard, and Vaughan in particular looked scratchy. Alleyne also bowled with plenty of guile, taking the pace off the ball, and eventually induced an edge from Lumb, which Steve Adshead duly snapped up (90 for 2).

Vaughan looked out of form, and crawled to 30 off 69 balls before he was frustrated into swiping across the line at a full ball from Lewis, and was bowled (153 for 3). At the other end, Lehmann found scoring a much easier proposition, nudging and pushing his way to a brisk half-century. In the 43rd over, Anthony McGrath, who had also looked out of sorts, though his fluency was not helped by a 30-minuted rain break at the end of the 37th over, attempted a leg-side flick off Ball but succeeded only in top-edging a high catch to Taylor at long-on (184 for 4).

Ian Harvey, who was wasted so far down the order, came in and played a blistering cameo against his former county, smashing 20 off 10 balls as Yorkshire increased the tempo in the closing overs. Harvey fell with the score on 213, and Bresnan did not last long, but Lehmann stayed till the end to make sure Yorkshire set what seemed to be a competitive total - but Spearman had other ideas.

Worcestershire 257 for 4 (Solanki 127) beat Warwickshire 216 (Brown 47) by 41 runs at Edgbaston
Scorecard

Gloucestershire 247 for 5 (Spearman 143*) beat Yorkshire 243 for 6 (Lehmann 80*) by 5 wickets at Bristol
Scorecard