A 125-run partnership between Beau Webster and Dan Mousley - coupled with the brilliance with the ball of Usman Tariq - ensured Warwickshire coasted to a comfortable 30-run Vitality Blast victory over Gloucestershire in the Central & West Group at Edgbaston.
Webster (78 from 44 balls) and Mousley (72 not out from 36 balls) elevated the Bears up to a total of 203, which Gloucestershire began well in chasing down thanks to a 56-run powerplay between D’Arcy Short and Dawid Malan.
The spell of Tariq (4-0-12-3) proved innings-defining, however, despite the late innings efforts of Jack Taylor (48 not out from 28 balls).
Warwickshire’s innings began like a scalded cat; they reached 33 without loss after three overs with Zen Malik (32 from 19 balls) the leading protagonist, but they were soon reeled back in once Malik exited stage left.
When opening partner Rob Yates gloved Matt Taylor through to James Bracey to bring two new batters to the crease, the brakes had been slammed on.
Sam Hain, who had scored an unbeaten 131 runs this week across two previous innings, surrendered his wicket cheaply to Short who tempted him into planting the ball down mid-off’s throat.
At that stage Warwickshire were 69 for 3 and midway through their innings, with plenty of work to do to achieve a highly competitive total, but the in-form Webster and Mousley delivered an explosive partnership worth 125 from just 57 balls.
The atmosphere in the middle appeared to become a little heated when Marchant de Lange looked to catch Mousley out of his ground and directed a shy at the stumps which sent poles flying, behaviour Mousley seemed to take exception to - the otherwise watertight De Lange was then unceremoniously pulled into the Eric Hollies stand for successive sixes.
The Bears, having set an imposing 204 for victory, believed they’d claimed the early scalp of Short, who had hit an unbeaten 92 against Surrey on Saturday, with Richard Gleeson’s very first ball, but having survived that early scare he and Malan set about making use of their powerplay.
Malan struck three boundaries from the first over of former England teammate Chris Woakes and then effortlessly lifted Mousley over deep extra cover for a maximum.
The visitors were strolling along at 56 without loss by the end of the powerplay, when Tariq was introduced - he duly delivered with his second legal delivery, forcing Short to slice straight to Gleeson at gully.
Pakistan international Tariq’s spell thereafter spun the game exclusively in Warwickshire’s direction; his mystery spin caused Malan to drag on before he trapped Liam Scott in front.
Webster chipped in with the wicket of Miles Hammond, Mousley dismissed James Bracey and Jordan Thompson too contributed by removing Kamran Dhariwal in the closing stages, but Gloucestershire’s innings had long prior to that lost momentum. A low-key ending, Taylor’s individual resistance aside, to an ultimately futile chase ensured a comfortable victory and four points for the hosts.
