Glos make it three in a row

Gloucestershire 269 beat Yorkshire 241-8 by 28 runs.

Gloucstershire avenged last season's Friends Provident Trophy quarter-final defeat by comfortably beating Yorkshire at Headingley.

The win was just desserts for a fantastic one-day performance that further highlighted the Shire's credentials in this form of the game.

After posting an excellent total, it took patient cricket and pressure to claim the wickets that eventually put paid to Yorkshire's chase. The chilly breeze and Jacques Rudolf's 118 caused a few nerves amongst the Glos' supporters, but once the run-rate began to rise the Shire had the opposition at their mercy.

A third straight victory in the competition was set up by a controlled batting display and a vintage knock from Craig Spearman, whose 92 from 71 was a pleasure to witness.

Glos worked their way to 269 by building meaningful partnerships. Kadeer Ali (63) and Will Porterfield (37) shared an extremely well-managed stand of 88. They simply ticked the scoreboard over and punished any loose bowling - including three sixes into the member's stand.

Spearman began sluggishly and moved very gingerly early on - it was noted that better running would have perhaps been worth an extra ten runs - but got into his stride and took responsibility after running Ali out in a ludicrous mix up. Some wonderful hitting brought him close to what would have been a deserved century, but he holed out going for another big shot.

The Glos' innings stuttered in the latter stages and to be bowled out when 270-plus was on the cards was a disappointment, but the fielding performance defended the total with ease.

A 67 opening stand was broken by Jon Lewis before 10 overs for 34 by Chris Taylor turned the tide fully towards the Westcountry. Taylor bowled with accuracy and variation and the part-timer proved very difficult to get away.

The tight bowling was supplemented by the energy and desire in the field that we have come to expect from the Shire, and it choked the Yorkshire batsman into hitting themselves out - Michael Vaughan chipping a full-toss to deep midwicket. Rudolf had no support and the Glos came away with victory by 28 runs.