Rain ends Warwickshire's chance

Talented opener Joe Denly cuts in a career-best 115 in limited-overs cricket, but he could not prevent Kent's exit

Middlesex prevailed from Friends Provident Trophy Group B after the crucial match between Warwickshire and Kent at Edgbaston ended in a rain-affected tie.

The Panthers, who did not play today, held on to second place in Group B by virtue of more wins when the match in Birmingham was called a tie, with Warwickshire on 241 for six after 46.5 overs in reply to Kent’s 265.

Limping hero Tim Ambrose, who reached an unbeaten 36 despite a leg muscle injury, and Keith Barker (23 not out) hammered 55 in seven overs before the rain arrived with the home side one run short of their requirement under the Duckworth-Lewis method.

The Edgbaston ground staff worked feverishly to mop up in the remaining 50 minutes but umpires Nigel Cowley and Jeff Evans declared the conditions unfit for the game to resume before the 6.30pm cut-off.

“A sensible decision had to be made,” said Cowley.

It was an untimely end to a match that veered from one side to the other after Kent opener Joe Denly had set a formidable target with a glorious innings of 115 – the highest of his three centuries in List A cricket.

Neil Carter gave Warwickshire a flying start with a typically forceful 37 from 33 balls and Jim Troughton kept them on course with his fourth half-century in six innings in the competition this season.

They were probably marginal favourites, needing 82 from the last 11 overs, when Simon Cook took three wickets in six balls.

Troughton shovelled a catch to short fine-leg, Ian Westwood was brilliantly caught, first ball, by Justin Kemp at backward point and Geraint Jones completed a slick stumping when Ant Botha stretched too far forward.

Earlier, Denly gave Chris Woakes a torrid time when Kent launched their bid for a total that would reduce Middlesex’s run-rate advantage.

Justin Kemp is run out short of his ground, signalling the fall of Kent's fifth wicket in the crucial Group B match at Edgbaston

Two boundaries eased through the leg-side in the opening over were a sign of things to come and the young England Lions seamer was eventually taken out of the attack after conceding 37 runs from 24 balls.

Denly saw him off with a straight six, a pull for four and another lofted shot over the bowler for four but the first change did nothing to stop the onslaught as Barker’s first two overs cost 27 runs.

A much tighter spell by Carter accounted for Rob Key (20) with a neat catch by Ambrose, and the wicketkeeper then moved to his left to hold a chance from Wayne Parnell (19) as soon as Barker switched to the Pavilion End.

The Kent charge faltered with the loss of Martin van Jaarsveld and Jones in five balls from Steffan Piolet.

Justin Kemp was then run out by Westwood from short extra-cover, but Denly hit nine fours and two sixes in reaching a century from 115 balls and James Hockley contributed a supporting 50 as the sixth pair put on 116 in 23 overs.

The final powerplay then delivered mixed results. Denly was caught at long on immediately after clattering another six off Piolet and Westwood ran out Hockley with a direct hit from extra cover, but Azhar Mahmood swiped 25 off 13 balls before Jeetan Patel and Woakes cleaned up the last three wickets.