Northants stay perfect
Ian Harvey top scored for Northants against his old club with 48 off 38 balls
Northamptonshire retained their 100% record in the Midlands/Wales/West group with a 10-run Twenty20 Cup win over struggling Gloucestershire at Bristol.
The Steelbacks were bowled out for 162 with a ball to spare after winning the toss, with Gladiators old boy Ian Harvey top-scoring with 48 off 38 balls, with four fours and a six. Jon Lewis took 4-37 and Steve Kirby 3-29.
Hamish Marshall gave Gloucestershire a fast start in reply with 42 off 28 balls and skipper Alex Gidman hit 40. But, having raced to 63 without loss off just five overs, the home side self-destructed.
From 119 for two, they collapsed to 152 for seven against some tight bowling from Andrew Hall, who took 1-8 from three overs, and David Willey (2-15).
Monty Panesar did his bit with four overs for 24 as the Gladiators lost their way, only the top three batsmen reaching double figures. Grant Hodnett made 30 off 21 balls, but his efforts, along with those of Marshall and Gidman, went to waste.
Earlier, Harvey received a warm welcome from the home supporters, the Australian been an integral part of the Gloucestershire team who won five one-day trophies in 1999 and 2000.
He was given a life on ten when Lewis spilled a straightforward chance at mid-on off Gemaal Hussain.
It proved an expensive miss as Harvey and Rob White went on to add 54 in seven overs before the latter was bowled by a slower ball from Kirby for 28.
Kirby’s next delivery accounted for Steven Crook and Andrew Hall fell cheaply to Gidman.
But Harvey prospered and looked set for a half-century on his old stamping ground when brilliantly caught and bowled by left-arm spinner Vikram Banerjee above his head off a fierce drive.
Northants were 96 for four in the 13th over. Riki Wessels and Mark Nelson took the total to 141 before both fell in a remarkable 17th over sent down by Lewis.
It began with Wessels hitting a six over long-on, then Nelson followed suit with a straight blow over the ropes. The next ball saw him hole out to deep midwicket and the one after that bowled Wessels after the batsmen had crossed.
Wessels hit three fours and two sixes in his 20-ball innings.
