NATWEST PRO40
Warwickshire 120-6 v Glamorgan. No result: 1pt each
Warwickshire had more reason to thank the rain over the North Wales coasst than their opponents as their NatWest Pro40 League Division One clash at Colwyn Bay was abandoned.
Glamorgan will feel they were on the way to victory, having reduced the Bears to 120 for six in 29 overs before the rain came at 3:35pm.
Even though the rain stopped at one stage, with Glamorgan facing a target of 136 from 29 overs under the Duckworth-Lewis method, the players never got back onto the pitch.
The umpires, Trevor Jesty and Tim Robinson, abandoned the match at 6:05pm with each county taking a point from the game.
Glamorgan won the toss and chose to bowl on a pitch with a green tinge and David Harrison made an immediate impact, having pinch-hitter Neil Carter caught behind from an inside edge off the third ball of the match.
Though Nick Knight was dropped at slip on five, he could only make four more before being trapped lbw to a Harrison ball that nipped back at him.
Runs came more freely at the other end where James Franklin conceded 35 in his first five overs, with Navdeep Poonia particularly strong on the leg side.
But once Ryan Watkins had found a good length he broke through twice in consecutive overs. First he had Jon Trott leg before and followed that up by bowling Tim Ambrose to leave Warwickshire 86 for four.
In between those two wickets, Dean Cosker broke through with his third ball to have Poonia, who made 47 from 49 balls with nine fours, caught by wicket-keeper Mark Wallace.
And when Robert Croft entered the attack he also struck in his first over to have Alex Loudon caught at backward point attempting a reverse sweep, leaving Warwickshire 105 for six in the 24th over.
Five overs later, though, the players were taken off the field by the umpires never to return.
Meanwhile, Darren Gough took centre stage with bat and ball as Essex cruised to a nine-wicket victory over Middlesex at Southend. It leaves them top of the table.
The former England pace-man claimed three for 16 in the space of only 6.4 overs as the Crusaders were bowled out for just 144 at Garon's Park in their Division One fixture.
Then Gough, appearing at number three following the departure of captain Ronnie Irani (6), struck 10 fours on his way to an unbeaten 53 from just 49 deliveries, with opener Mark Pettini finishing 60 not out and hitting ten boundaries, including one six, as the Eagles soon chalked up 148 for the win from just 18.3 overs.
Essex bowler Andy Bichel also picked up three wickets, for 19, while Scott Styris topscored for Middlesex with 50 and Nick Compton had made 49.
