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Warwickshire reach Quarter finals

Warwickshire took advantage of Gloucestershire's defeat by Somerset to reach the Twenty20 Cup quarter-finals with a comfortable 40-run win over Northamptonshire at Edgbaston.

Warwickshire took advantage of Gloucestershire's defeat by Somerset to reach the Twenty20 Cup quarter-finals with a comfortable 40-run win over Northamptonshire at Edgbaston.

The Bears knew they needed to win to have any chance of taking the runners-up spot in the Midlands/Wales/West group and aggressive batting, which featured half-centuries from Ian Bell and Nick Knight, allowed them to seize the initiative.

Their 205 for two was the highest total Northamptonshire had conceded in the competition this season and Warwickshire defended it expertly to nudge Somerset into third place in the group.

Northamptonshire had already qualified for the quarter-finals and their cricket lacked urgency. Their fielding was often lethargic and Warwickshire cashed in.

Neil Carter launched the innings with a typically muscular 40 from just 27 balls, which dominated an opening stand of 63 with Knight.

But Knight accelerated after Carter was bowled driving at a slower ball from Ben Phillips.

The former England opener had failed to reach double figures in four of his previous seven innings but moved smoothly to a 35-ball half-century which contained five fours and two sixes.

England batsman Bell timed the ball superbly to reach his first Twenty20 half-century from just 29 balls, which included sixes off David Sales and Bilal Shafayat.

Knight and Bell plundered 94 in only nine overs before Knight was well held by Sales at long off.

But there was no respite for Northamptonshire's bowlers as Trevor Penney clubbed an unbeaten 27 from only 11 deliveries and Bell finished undefeated with 66 from 38 balls.

Northamptonshire were given early impetus by Martin Love and Usman Afzaal but they could not sustain the challenge against tight bowling and sharp fielding.

James Anyon, Warwickshire's hat-trick hero against Somerset on Monday, again picked up three wickets and all-rounder Dougie Brown showed his commitment to the cause by flying back from Scotland's ICC Trophy campaign in Ireland.

Brown had to dash from the ground to Birmingham Airport to catch an evening flight to Dublin and then drive up to Belfast to rejoin Scotland ahead of Thursday's crunch game with Holland.

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