Cricket: STORMING WIN AS WARWICKS STRIKE OUT.

Byline: W.G.WANKLYN

WARWICKSHIRE collected their third one-day victory of the season with a storming seven-wickets win over Gloucestershire in the rural setting of a first-ever visit to Moreton-in-Marsh.

The home county looked ominously beyond reach at 217 for three. Warwickshire passed that total, also with only three wickets down, with 3.4 overs to spare.

Even so, the end only came after a premature curtain. Kallicharran hooked hard to mid-wicket everyone seemed to assume it was a six and both sides trooped off the field. They were hurriedly summoned back because infact it was a 4 and the scores were level.

Uprooted stumps had to be replaced and the all-important single was guly scored.

Warwickshire have already displayed a new found discipline this season which has brought them two cup successes. This time it was efficiently translated to the 40-overs game, in particular among the bowlers.

The Gloucestershire sheetanchor was Stovold, undefeated with 97, and the heavy artillery was supplied by Knight, with six huges sixes in his 54. but Warwickshire never wiltered under the pressure.

Rouse gave a demonstration of sheer courage. He deselected a finger on his bowling hand stopping a hot return. It was re-set and strapped up and he returned to complete his eight overs even though in considerable pain. Young Perryman passed another searching test with flying colours.

Facing such a target Warwickshire needed a good start and Jameson and Amiss supplied it. There were 75 runs off 14 overs before both were out. Thereafter Kallicharran became the controller and the 100 came up in 59 minutes with kanhai giving a classic demonstration of splitting a tight a tight field. They added 79 off only 13 overs.

Then came Mike Smith, impudent almost to the point of insolence in the ease with which he stole runs from underneath Gloucestershire's nose. At the other end Kallicharran defied a troublesome knee to drive and hook his way to an undefeated 77.

The one man who might have saved Gloucestershire, injured all-rounder Mike Procter, was present only as a spectator, his lokely role for some time to come.

Rouse is due for a precautionary X-ray but hopes to be back for the next Benson and Hedges Cup game against Northamptonshire at the weekend.

CAPTION(S):

Hemsley...valuable innings; Alvin Kallicharran