Trott keeps Bears on course

Jonathan Trott steered Warwickshire to a comfortable victory at Bristol with a fine innings of 73 not out from just 52 balls

Jonathan Trott hit his third Twenty20 Cup half-century of the season as Warwickshire kept up their challenge for a quarter-final place with a seven-wicket victory over Gloucestershire at Bristol.

The Gladiators have won only one of their seven group matches and could manage only 141 all out after losing the toss, David Brown making 33 and Hamish Marshall 25. There were three wickets each for Rikki Clarke, Ant Botha and Jeetan Patel.

The Bears had few problems reaching their target, with 3.5 overs to spare - as Trott hit an unbeaten 73 off 52 balls, with a six and 10 fours, and Ian Bell contributed a rapid 42 from just 22 deliveries.

Things might have been different if Chris Taylor had not dropped a straightforward chance offered to backward-point by Trott off Steve Kirby when he had made only five.

Neil Carter fell early, and Gloucestershire were still in with a chance at 65 for two when Jim Troughton holed out to long-on for 17.

But then Bell, who hit three big sixes, joined Trott in an exhilarating partnership of 64 in five overs which ended any doubt about the result.

Both batsmen drove the ball powerfully and proved impossible to contain.

Gloucestershire had lost wickets at regular intervals, with no one able to take responsibility for a major innings after Clarke - back in the Warwickshire side after a broken hand - produced a three-over opening spell of 2-16 from the Ashley Down Road end.

Craig Spearman drove him in the air to point - and Will Porterfield, captaining the Gladiators in the absence of the injured Alex Gidman, was caught at mid-on to make it 29 for two.

Marshall and Taylor threatened a recovery, and it was 48 for two at the end of the six-over fielding restrictions. Then Taylor advanced to drive a slower ball from Steffan Piolet and was stumped by Tim Ambrose.

Marshall was caught at deep midwicket off Botha (3-31), and James Franklin was bowled having a back-foot swing at the same bowler.

Brown did his best to boost the total, hitting a straight six off Piolet - and Richard Dawson hit a bigger one off Neil Carter, whose three overs cost 37.

But Gloucestershire looked short of runs when Patel (3-15) began the last over and removed Jon Lewis, Brown and Kirby.