Gloucester are made to pay for poor start.

STEPHAN Myburgh's hard-hitting 77 laid the foundation for a thrilling one-run victory by Holland over Gloucestershire in the opening Clydesdale Bank 40 match at Bristol.

The opener made his runs off 72 balls, with 11 fours and two sixes, as the visitors ran up 239 for six after losing the toss. Cameron Borgas (38), Mudassar Bukhari (32) and Wesley Barresi (30) lent positive support, while Ed Young returned two for 31 from eight overs.

After falling behind the run rate Gloucestershire rallied with a brilliant 72 not out off 51 balls from Benny Howell, only to fall agonisingly short as Pieter Seelaar picked up four for 42.

The home side required 13 off the last over, bowled by Bukhari. Jon Batty hit a boundary, but with three needed to win off the final delivery Howell could manage only a leg-bye.

Gloucestershire were left to rue their early batting, which saw them make only 87 for one off their first 20 overs.

Alex Gidman, who opened with brother Will, took 69 balls to make 41 and when he was caught 141 runs were needed off 16 overs. Howell, signed on a trial basis after being released by Hampshire, did his hopes of a contract no harm by hitting four fours and two sixes but could not quite pull off victory.

Earlier, Myburgh had signalled his intent from the start, dispatching the second ball of the match from Will Gidman over mid-wicket for six. The 28-yearold left-hander went on to dominate an opening stand of 84 with Michael Swart (24), reaching his half-century off 42 balls with eight fours and two sixes.

Left-arm spinner Young made the breakthrough in the 14th over, bowling Swart playing across the line. Chris Dent followed up by having Peter Borren caught at mid-wicket for 15.

Myburgh helped take the total to 152 before being snapped up by Ian Cockbain off the bowling of off-spinner Dent.

It was 167 for four when Borgas was adjudged lbw to Young and 176 for five when Tom Cooper was taken off Kane Williamson's off-spin for 13.

The visitors were far from finished as Barresi and Bukhari added 58 in quick time to boost the total before Barresi was bowled by the first ball of the final over from Ian Saxelby.

Another thriller at Old Trafford saw Lancashire defeat Leicestershire by five runs. The hosts racked up 296 for three thanks to Steven Croft (82), Ashwell Prince (79), Stephen Moore (74) and Karl Brown (44no) but Josh Cobb smashed 137 from 99 balls, with eight fours and six sixes, to give Leicestershire a chance.

Matt Boyce added 64 but young spinner Simon Kerrigan held his nerve in the last over to see Lancashire to victory.

In Group C, Kent saw off Yorkshire despite a late flurry of wickets that left the result in doubt for longer than seemed likely. Matt Coles (six for 32) reduced Yorkshire to 22 for four and although Joe Root (49) and Andrew Gale (44) put on 70, their total of 175 for nine never looked sufficient. Kent were cruising at 159 for three before Darren Stevens (59) gifted his wicket to Root. That led to a nervy last few overs but Geraint Jones saw the visitors across the line.

Warwickshire were six-wicket winners over Northamptonshire at Edgbaston.

Martin Guptill and Wes Durston made centuries as Derbyshire hammered the Unicorns by 129 runs.

Surrey's Group B win over Scotland came courtesy of the Duckworth-Lewis method, with the hosts 118 for six chasing a reduced 137 from 29 overs in Edinburgh.

CAPTION(S):

HOLDING ON Darren Stevens bats during Kent's win over Yorkshire