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Twose proves too much for Kent

Mike Austin
Wednesday 12 July 1995 23:02 BST
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reports from Edgbaston

Warwickshire 262-7 Kent 252-9 Warwickshire win by 10 runs

The indoor bowling at stumps fiasco that provided a lot of sour hops from Kent last summer at Edgbaston was cast asunder. Warwickshire, reported by Kent to Lord's for an alleged lack of pitch protection, went on to lift the Benson and Hedges Cup and yesterday, won again.

Outdoors, this time, they triumphed in the NatWest Trophy second round, despite a half-century from 59 balls by Steve Marsh, supported by Dean Headley. Kent lost, having needed 14 from the last over bowled by Reeve.

Warwickshire's success developed from the age old handicap of batting at 10.30am that this long-winded competition demands. Instead of 60-overs- a-side, it would be far better preparation for the 50-over World Cup of 10 overs less. Four-day cricket has been tailored to Test demands - so why not this competition?

Those who expected a terror track after the Test match saw a game contested on a pitch that already produced almost 700 runs in a first-round match against Somerset. This was only Kent's third one-day defeat in 14 games, just three days before meeting Lancashire in the Benson and Hedges Cup final at Lord's.

Warwickshire, with 93 not out from 116 balls by Roger Twose, are already rolling and braving injury to clamber to joint top in the Championship, having won 11 of their past 12 games overall. From 11 for 2, having lost Nick Knight, offering no stroke, and Dominic Ostler, they put together a familiar players' co-operative.

Neil Smith anchored the innings, a duty later matched by Trevor Ward for Kent. Twose made all the difference in his final season for Warwickshire before throwing his talents into the New Zealand Test cause. Ward scored 68 from 101 balls but from the promise of 90 for 2, Kent tumbled into the abyss that has become so familiar when playing Warwickshire in this competition. This was their fifth consecutive defeat.

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