Averis rises to occasion

Benson & Hedges Cup round-up

It needed one of the more remarkable bowling performances of the day to earn last summer's one-day kings Gloucestershire, their first victory in this season's Benson & Hedges Cup.

It needed one of the more remarkable bowling performances of the day to earn last summer's one-day kings Gloucestershire, their first victory in this season's Benson & Hedges Cup.

Having lifted the tobacco company's Super Cup last year the West Country side had lost their opening match on Saturday to Glamorgan, but thanks to a stunning four wickets for eight runs by the seamer James Averis, on his debut in the competition, they brushed aside Warwickshire at Bristol yesterday.

Averis, the Oxford Rugby Blue who was born in Bristol, collected his haul off just 7.4 overs as Warwickshire were skittled for the day's low, 94 - a total matched by Nottinghamshire.

There were five catches for the Gloucestershire wicketkeeper Jack Russell and Cheltenham-born Dominic Hewson spearheaded the run chase with an unbeaten 30. Warwickshire's South African fast bowler Allan Donald went wicketless for 25 runs.

Michael Di Venuto put on a blistering batting display at Trent Bridge. Derbyshire's Tasmanian batsman opened the innings and proceeded to hit an undefeated 61 off just 42 balls. Nottinghamshire's woeful total of 94 was passed in just 11.4 overs by Derbyshire, who lost just one wicket in the process.

Although a naturalised British citizen, the Australia-born Craig White returned the day's best figures of 5-25 to help Yorkshire overcome Lancashire in the Roses match at Headingley. India's Saurav Ganguly did pick up three wickets for Lancashire, but their total of 166 was not enough to prevent Yorkshire from easing home by four wickets.

Jamie Cox, the Somerset captain, hit a fine half century in a stand of 120 for the second wicket with Piran Holloway and Somerset's 257 looked imposing. But Northamptonshire ran them close and it was not until the weather intervened and forced a revised target that victory was assured for the Westcountry men. David Sales scored an unbeaten 64 and Mal Loye had also knocked off a half century before rain swept in.

Leicestershire's James Ormond out-bowled his county's illustrious leg spinner, the Indian Anil Kumble. Ormond's sharp seam bowling earned him 4-27, while Kumble finished with 3-26 as Leicestershire won by 20 runs after Durham could only manage 169 for 9.

Worcestershire's Kabir Ali took four wickets as his side cantered to a nine-wicket victory over Glamorgan, whose Australian Matthew Elliott managed just a solitary run. Graeme Hick hit an unbeaten 55, sharing in a stand of 124 with the opener Paul Pollard (54 not out) as Worcestershire cruised past Glamorgan's 147 with more than 20 overs to spare.