Worcestershire keep pressure on

Worcestershire 72 for 3 (Vincent 32) beat Gloucestershire 131 (Thornely 60, Batty 3-17, Khan 3-22) by 26 runs (D/L method)
Scorecard
Points table

The morning after: Shane Warne sports his eye injury © Getty Images

Worcestershire kept the pressure on at the top of division two after beating the rain at the Rose Bowl and winning under the Duckworth-Lewis method. On a bowler-friendly service they skittled Hampshire for 131 before begin well ahead of the rate when the late evening thunderstorms arrived.

The Hampshire top order slumped to 49 for 4 against some fine seam bowling from Zaheer Khan, Matt Mason and Kabir Ali. Their position wasn't helped when Shane Warne had to retire hurt with a nasty gash above his right eye. He went for a pull shot and the ball went straight between his visor and grille.

Warne went off to hospital but was told the cut was too deep to stitch so returned to ground, ate a cheese roll, was patched up by the physio and returned at the fall of the eighth wicket. He didn't last long before becoming Khan's second victim while Gareth Batty bowled well for his three strikes.

James Bruce replied with a fine opening burst, but despite his two wickets Worcestershire remained well ahead of the D/L target thanks to Lou Vincent's 28-ball 32. They are now level on points with Gloucestershire at the top of the table and both teams have one match left.