Last-ball boundary secures tense win for Gloucestershire

Gloucestershire successfully began their defence of the Benson & Hedges Cup with a last-ball boundary from Chris Taylor snatching victory in a match where the scores finished level.

The one-day masters, aiming for a fifth consecutive Lord's final in two competitions, won their first group match by matching Warwickshire's 213 for 9 and squeezed home by virtue of losing three fewer wickets.

Though Taylor's cover drive off Vasbert Drakes settled the issue, the previous ball proved to be the home side's undoing. When Taylor was sent back, Drakes threw down the non-striker's wicket and the ball ran away to give Reggie Williams the chance to scamper a single.

Ian Harvey won the gold award for his competition-best 5 for 32 as Warwickshire lurched between extremes after being put in to bat. Harvey and Jon Lewis put them in trouble at 39 for four, but Dominic Ostler (77) and skipper Michael Powell (55) responded with a stand of 136 - a new fifth-wicket record for the county in the B & H Cup.

Harvey then returned to take three more wickets and ease the task for his batsmen. Kim Barnett and Rob Cunliffe laid a good base, but Mo Sheikh almost turned the game with a stunning caught-and-bowled to remove Barnett.

Cunliffe advanced to 75 before Warwickshire moved back into the ascendancy with wickets in successive balls from Dougie Brown and another for Mel Betts to remove Matt Windows for 42.

Mark Alleyne brought the target down to ten from the last over but was bowled by a near-full toss from Drakes before Williams and Taylor tied the match.