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Streak guides Bears to win

The Warwickshire Bears kick started their torrid season with a 24 run victory over the Northants Steelbacks at Wantage Road, the Steelbacks top heavy batting attack failed to chase the 186 needed on a flat lifeless wicket.

Northamptonshire's woeful limited-overs form continued as Warwickshire skipper Heath Streak and Michael Powell smashed 60 runs in just 29 balls to seal a 24-run victory for the Bears in their opening Twenty20 game.

Steelbacks skipper David Sales' decision to field first after winning the toss looked to have paid off as Northants picked up regular wickets to leave the Bears precariously placed on 93 for four.

But they recovered to post 185 for five before bowling out their opponents for just 161.

Warwickshire pinch hitter Neil Carter had earlier found his timing, hitting nine runs off 13 balls - including a huge six off Matt Nicholson - before he skied a Ben Phillips delivery, allowing wicketkeeper Riki Wessels to run round to fine leg to take the catch.

Youngster Navdeep Poonia blazed four boundaries in 10 balls, before he tried one big shot too many off former India skipper Sourav Ganguly's third ball on his Wantage Road debut and was caught by South African Lance Klusener.

Opener Mark Wagh then fell to Jason Brown's off-spin for 23 and Jonathan Trott soon followed - edging Nicholson to Wessels on 15.

Jim Troughton and Michael Powell added 32 for the fifth wicket before Ganguly returned to bowl Troughton for 25 with a clever slower ball.

But Powell and skipper Streak upped the tempo to steer the visitors to a respectable total, adding 60, with Ganguly's figures ruined in the 18th over as Powell (44 not out) and Streak (33no) each helping themselves to a boundary and a six.

In reply, Usman Afzaal and Ganguly got the Northants innings off to a calamitous opening.

Afzaal eventually paid the price for the pair's comical calling when he was run out by Streak after Ganguly sent him back.

Just as Ganguly looked to have his eye in, hitting James Anyon for six runs, he bottom-edged his next delivery to Frost and was caught behind.

Steelbacks captain Sales raced to 18 off 11 balls before he was caught behind by a diving Frost off impressive Zimbabwean Streak.

One over later, Bilal Shafayat drove Dougie Brown's delivery into the outstretched arms of Trott at long-on.

Klusener and Wessels took the score to 105, before the South African missed Brown's full toss, signalling Northants' collapse.

Ian Westwood then took two wickets in three balls in the 14th over, firstly trapping Wessels LBW and then bowling Stephen Peters for a duck.

The home team's batting collapse continued when Nicholson was stumped off the bowling of Westwood, leaving them 41 runs behind with just three overs remaining.

Neil Carter dashed the home crowd's hopes further, claiming England star Monty Panesar for just two runs.

Northants were eventually bowled out for 161 when Jason Brown was run out by Frost in the final over, leaving Ben Phillips 38 not out.

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