Knight sets up title success

Warwickshire 221-6 Gloucestershire 150 Warwickshire win by 71 runs

Warwickshire turned in an admirably proficient performance amid scenes of great excitement at Edgbaston to beat Gloucestershire and win the AXA Life League thanks to Kent's defeat at Headingley. This is the first title to come to Birmingham since Dermot Reeve's retirement, and is Warwickshire's seventh in the last five years.

After winning the toss an outstanding innings of 102 by Nick Knight ensured that Gloucestershire would have too large a target, especially for a side as understandably dispirited after their recent disappointments in the County Championship. After a spirited opening stand between Tim Hancock and Bobby Dawson their batting was not up to it.

The present Warwickshire, who had the rotten luck to lose their captain and one of their two best bowlers Tim Munton to injury before the season began, and have played under no less than four captains, will be overjoyed to know that the trophy winning habit did not depart with Reeve. Victory in this competition is a reflection of the tremendous spirit in the side and the club and also of a great all-round ability on the field.

By its nature, the Sunday League is more of a lottery than the other limited-over competitions and Warwickshire have had their moments of luck. Nonetheless, good sides make their own luck and it was the golfer, Gary Player, who once said: "It's a funny thing, but the more I practice the luckier I get."

Neil Smith, the son of former England and Warwickshire captain Mike Smith who is chairman of the club, has presided over their one-day side for much of the season and this was his 10th victory in 11 games.

He not only captained the side calmly and capably but he also contributed 39 runs in an opening partnership of 89 in 16 overs with Knight and then took 2 for 29 in eight overs of off-breaks.

After the match was over a delighted Knight said: "It was a fantastic way to finish. We may have missed the boat last week at Lord's but we certainly made up for it today. We knew we had to go out there and play well and we did our bit. Naturally, I was thrilled with my own form."

When the day began it was as if Knight was trying to make up for all the hours of boredom and frustration he had suffered this season as a result of his two broken fingers. He began by standing up and hooking Jonathan Lewis for four and then went through his full repertoire of strokes with lovely timing and there was, too, a sense of responsibility which is not always evident in his batting. With Smith for once playing a quieter role at the other end Warwickshire at the time seemed to have made sure of the match with their impressive opening stand.

After Martyn Ball had sprinted 30 yards back towards the boundary to judge perfectly a skier from Smith, Knight continued to bat in that lithe way which seems to be the prerogative of tall left-handers.

He found a useful partner in Dominic Ostler who helped him add 65 in 11 overs for the fourth wicket. He went on to reach his 100 from 119 balls with seven fours and one six but perished moments later, ran out going for an unlikely second run.

Gloucestershire were given a hectic start with 17 coming off Dougie Brown's third over and had reached 43 in the ninth. Then, right on cue, Alan Donald, who will put Glenn McGrath on his mettle this coming winter, came on at the pavilion end and had Bobby Dawson caught behind as he drove. Smith now picked up the wickets of Shaun Young and Tim Hancock and Gloucestershire subsided, slowly at first and then in a rush. Matt Church and Mark Alleyne did their best before perishing to Ashley Giles who kept the ball up to the bat and was rewarded with 4 for 25.

The final wicket, when Rob Cuncliffe was appropriately enough bowled by Donald, was greeted by a crowd invasion of impressive proportions. Aston Villa, West Bromwich Albion and co now have plenty to live up to in the months ahead.