Bell finds form before rain

Ian Bell batted himself into touch with 42 off 35 balls for the Bears © Getty Images

Ian Bell clubbed 42 off 35 balls but it was in vain as Warwickshire Bears’ opening Twenty20 Cup clash against Glamorgan Dragons at Cardiff was ruined by the rain.

After being put into bat Warwickshire made 140 for seven in their 19 overs, but rain prevented the second innings from ever getting under way.

The umpires – Ian Gould and Jeff Evans – abandoned the match at 10.05pm with both sides taking a point each.

Bell and Neil Carter produced a useful opening stand of 54 in six overs.

Carter clipped his first ball for six over fine-leg as Alex Wharf’s opening over conceded 17 runs.

The introduction of Ryan Watkins saw Bell, who found some form after averaging just 15 during England’s Test series with New Zealand, strike two consecutive fours as the visitors reached 54 for nought after six overs.

But the introduction of spin changed the course of the innings. Dean Cosker took three wickets in quick succession including Carter, who he bowled with his first delivery.

Cosker’s second over proved an eventful six balls. It produced 17 runs and two wickets. Bell struck the first three balls for a six – over long-on and two fours, before he holed out to long-on.

AThe final delivery of the over saw Jonathan Trott bowled for a first ball duck. Robert Croft broke through Jim Troughton’s defences in the next over as Warwickshire went from 54 for nought to 82 for four.

At 94 for four, after 12 overs, rain forced the players off the field for 75 minutes reducing the match to a 19-over per side contest.

After the resumption Watkins’ medium-pace claimed two wickets in consecutive overs to remove Tim Ambrose and Ant Botha before David Hemp took a good diving catch at midwicket to claim the wicket of skipper Ian Westwood in the penultimate over, off Jamie Dalrymple.