Slow bowling loses Bears game.

The day after Warwickshire's slow left arm bowler Ashley Giles played a starring role for England, slow bowling of a different sort meant that they lost their floodlit Totesport game at Old Trafford.

This time it was a slow over-rate that caused 6 penalty runs to be awarded to the home side, and with it the match with one over to spare.

Aside from the controversial finish, it was a tail of 2 centuries, as Dinesh Mongia stood tall amidst a collapse to guide his side home after Nick Knight had fashioned a brilliant knock which yet again underlined what England are missing with his retirement.

Knight hit 9 fours and 2 sixes in his unbeaten 122 from only 116 balls that took his team to a healthy 251-5 from their 45 overs. Neil Carter (40 from 33 balls) and Brad Hogg (34 from 48) aside, the support for Knight was minimal, although Dominic Ostler's unbeaten 10 came as part of a rapid unbroken stand of 63 as Knight took command in the final overs.

In reply, Mal Loye fell early, and although Mark Chilton didn't last too long, the fall of his wicket brought in Mongia, and the Indian took control along with opener Iain Sutcliffe. The pair added 125 in an hour and half before a mix-up ended up with Sutcliffe being run out, and Lancshire 191-3.

At this point Warwickshire fought back in style, removing 4 wickets for 11 at one point, and continuing to 6 wickets for 48 as Lancashire's middle order crumbled, and defeat looked likely.

Mongia was not to be denied however, and with 3 runs needed off the last over, the lateness of the hour meant that no more play was necessary.

Warwickshire 251-5
(Knight 122*, Carter 40, Cork 2-45, Keedy 2-47)
Lancashire 251-5
(Mongia 104*, Sutcliffe 68, Pretorius 2-48, Carter 2-49)



In today's other game, Surrey continued their fine recent form with a comfortable 39 run win over Northamptonshire.

Adam Hollioake was the star with the bat, as he continued his outstanding run in his final season by blasting 3 sixes and 3 fours in his 80 from 66 balls. With his successor as captain Jon Batty and opener Justin Benning both contributing half centuries, and England hopeful Rikki Clarke again scoring good runs, the home side amassed 265-6 from their overs, in spite of the fact that the spin pairing of Graeme Swann and Jason Brown conceded only 69 runs from their 18 overs, and opening bowler Johann Louw went even better by giving up only 25 from his 9.

In reply, many men got starts for Northamptonshire, but nobody was able to go on and convert it into a match changing innings, and when Alex Tudor came on as 4th change to continue his return from injury to pick up 2-13 from 5 overs, the visitors were reduced to 137-7.

Louw (36 from 36 balls) and Ben Phillips (42 from 33) hit out with gusto to give their side hope, but James Ormond removed both as well as picking up the last man Carl Greenidge to secure a win with 21 balls to spare.

Surrey 265-6
(Hollioake 80*, Batty 66, Benning 50, Clarke 45, Swann 2-35, Greenidge 2-64, Phillips 2-69)
Northamptonshire 226
(Phillips 42, Ormond 4-48, Tudor 2-13, Sampson 2-55)

Posted by Marc