Warwickshire start season with a win
Opening their first class season at home, Warwickshire managed an unlikely come from behind win against Victoria on the back of remarkable performances from Ian Bell and James Kirtley.
The game started well for Warwickshire, with captain Mark Ramprakash winning the toss and electing to bat in front of the home crowd, a decision which seemed to be the right one, as openers Graham Foot and Nick Adam put on 91 together. This, however, was to be the highest partnership of the innings, as all of Victoria's frontline bowlers shared in the wickets to bowl Warwickshire out for a very sub-par 197, with Foot's 45 the highest score.
Things went from bad to worse for Wawickshire, as Victoria looked set to pile on the runs, with their opening pair of Clissitt and Gibbs combining for a rapid stand of over 150 before Naqqash Tahir dismissed both batsmen in a fiery spell. While Brad Hodge stood firm at number 3 with a neatly compiled 50, the rest of Victoria's strong middle order were ripped apart by Otis Gayle, who sent back David Hussey (4), White (2) and North (11) in quick succession. With Victoria at 5/221, Hodge was fast running out of partners, and Tahir and part-timer Jim Troughton saw to it that the tail put up little resistance, and Victoria were eventually bowled out for 291, giving them a lead of 94.
Needing a strong start to get themselves back into a good position, Warwickshire's top order provided them anything but, with Adam and Ramprakash both departing early to leave the home team struggling at 2/63. Graham Foot and Ian Bell, though, put on nearly a hundred runs together, both players bringing up 50s as they set about making a decent target for their bowlers. Undeterred by Foot's dismissal for 66, Bell continously found the gaps in the field, putting on another big stand with number 5 David Howarth, who was
unlucky to be bowled off a good delivery from Wise after playing strongly for his 49.
Ian Bell was the hero with the bat for Warwickshire
It was Bell's knock of 118, though, that put Warwickshire back in the driver's seat, with the batsman looking completely at ease at the crease until a vicious bumper from Peter Siddle saw him top edge one to the man at square leg. Once Bell had departed, most of the remaining batsman failed to capitalise strongly on the wearying Victorian attack, although Naqqash Tahir's quick-fire 33 pushed the final Warwickshire total from a possible 350 to 388.
Chasing 295 for victory, Victoria's openers once again looked set for a big partnership, before Akram had Gibbs trapped in front for 20 with a cleverly disguised slower ball. As often happens when one partner goes, Clissitt found himself back in the pavillion the very next over after James Kirtley's extra bounce saw him feather one to the keeper. Hodge fell soon after to Akram, and Victoria were floundering on 3/60. David Hussey and Cameron White set about rebuilding the chase with a stand of 50, but Hussey's enthusiasm proved too much when Gayle had him trapped in front trying to play an ambitious sweep that wasn't necessary with so many overs left in hand. White, however, buckled down with North to take Victoria to 169, but once North was given out lbw off a clear inside edge to Tahir, the door was open for James Kirtley, who responded with a battering ram. Proving too much even for the resolute White, Kirtley took the next 5 wickets to fall, ensuring that Warwickshire and new managed Andy Cameron kicked off the season with a strong win.
James Kirtley celebrates one of his six wickets
Warwickshire 197
G Foot 45, N Adam 37, D Howarth 34
A Wise 3/29, P Siddle 3/72
Victoria 291
A Clissitt 87, H Gibbs 75, B Hodge 52
N Tahir 4/116, O Gayle 3/32
Warwickshire
I Bell 118, G Foot 66, D Howarth 49
P Siddle 4/74, A Wise 2/64
Victoria 222
C White 69, D Hussey 27, A Clissitt 24
J Kirtley 6/76, F Akram
