Rain proving a pain for Bears

Apr 30 2008

WARWICKSHIRE found batting far from straightforward after winning the toss and going in first against Leicestershire at Edgbaston.

The Bears ended the opening day of their championship game on 128 for four after a day of four rain interruptions which cost 46 overs play. Skipper Darren Maddy at last won a toss, at the fourth attempt this season. But his top-order were confronted by a moving ball in mostly poor light and with regular breaks to hinder concentration. Also unhelpful was one distinctly dodgy umpiring decision which scuttled Ian Bell just as he was starting to flow.

Bell moved to 42 (75 balls, six fours) but was then adjudged lbw by umpire Mike Harris to a Garnett Kruger delivery which appeared to be both high and angling away down the leg-side.

Leicestershire, with six South African-born players in the team to Warwickshire's four, had struck an immediate blow when Maddy offered no shot to his second ball, from Dillon Du Preez, and lost his off-stump.

Ian Westwood and Bell added 70 in 23 overs before Bell departed, clearly seething at missing a chance to build a big innings.

Westwood did well to maintain his concentration through the stoppages, including one when he took an errant throw on the chin after scampering a single. But on 39 (114 balls, six fours) he egded a lifter from Du Preez to third slip. In poor light after tea, Michael Powell edged an outswinger from Jim Allenby and the Bears have their work cut out to reach the 350-ish total which would put them in a strong position.