Gloucestershire too good for Warwickshire

Gloucestershire comprehensively defeated Warwickshire in their home-opener Sunday. The holders won by five wickets, with over 20 overs to spare in front of a depleted crowd - football team Bristol City were at Wembley.

Gloucester won the toss, and breaking with their conventions, chose to field. It was clear there would be some help for the bowlers, on a crisp, bright spring morning. Pinch-hitter Neil Smith cracked Mike Smith to the point fence from the first over. Mike won the duel of the Smith's later in the over, as he had the Warwickshire batsman well caught by Jack Russell. What followed was a steady trickle of wickets. James Averis clean bowled David Hemp, with Dominic Ostler well caught by Russell: standing up to the medium pace of Cawdron.

The vital wicket came with the score tottering on 36-3. Nick Knight, who had looked scratchy all morning, was trapped leg before by Mark Alleyne. Cawdron got rid of Dougie Brown, thanks to a juggling mid-on catch from Averis, then followed it up, as he shattered Mohammed Sheikh's stumps. Averis and Russell combined to dismiss Ashley Giles and Keith Piper first ball. Trevor Penney, who had provided some resistance, fell for 25, Russell's fifth catch. Averis bowled Allan Donald with a magnificent slower ball, to finish with figures of 4-8 from his 7.4 overs. Cawdron had chipped in with 3-30, with Gloucester's second string attack destroying Warwickshire for 94.

Still, all was not over. Allan Donald looked fiery, and had able apprentices: Giddins, Brown, Giles and Smith all England internationals. Hancock was caught at point, and Giddins picked up his second wicket, bowling an out-of-sorts Kim Barnett. Windows and Alleyne fell cheaply, and Warwickshire still had a glimmer of hope.

The bowling was just too patchy though. Gloucestershire got 33 runs, over a third of their total, from sloppy extras. Dominic Hewson had a torrid time at the hands of Donald, but stayed firm. At the other end, Chris Taylor, batting in his first innings for Gloucestershire looked classy. He scored heavily in second XI and local league cricket last year, but could this prepare him for Donald? Yes, apparently, as he drove the paceman down the ground for the shot of the day. Hewson sealed what turned into a convincing victory with a glorious cover drive. As for those who travelled to Wembley, Bristol City lost 2-1. They probably wish they'd have come to the County ground.