C&G Trophy semi-final, Edgbaston:
Worcestershire 257-4 (50 overs) beat Warwickshire 216 (47.4 overs) by 41 runs
 | They're always big games against Warwickshire - you never write them off  |
Vikram Solanki's 127 put Worcestershire on course for a return trip to Lord's as they beat Warwickshire by 41 runs in their C&G Trophy semi-final. He hit three sixes and eight fours as last year's losing finalists totalled 257-4 after being put in by home skipper Nick Knight at Edgbaston.
Warwickshire began their reply in free scoring fashion but slumped to 115-5.
Dougie Brown (47) and Trevor Penney (41) put on 84 but four wickets fell cheaply as they were all out for 216.
Worcestershire now face a repeat of last year's final against Gloucestershire, which they lost by seven wickets.
Warwickshire began the game with Alan Richardson and Penney in their side in preference to Dewald Pretorius and Jim Troughton.
But Troughton soon found himself involved after Jonathan Trott suffered a calf injury while fielding and had to go off.
Solanki survived a confident lbw appeal from Neil Carter, but he was soon into his stride with two boundaries in an over from Brown. The 100-partnership with Stephen Moore came up in the 25th over as Knight rotated seven different bowlers in search of a breakthrough.
It finally came when Australian spinner Brad Hogg had Moore caught for 56 at long-off by Brown and there was a further boost for Warwickshire when the pair swapped roles to account for Graeme Hick, who made only five.
But Ben Smith (23) helped add 52 for the third wicket before falling to Carter and although Solanki followed with the score on 237, David Leatherdale rounded things off with 27 not out off 25 balls.
 Knight's departure was a body blow for Warwickshire |
Warwickshire again used Neil Carter as a pinch-hitter at the top of the order but it proved of limited benefit as he edged Andy Bichel to the keeper after making 16.
Knight (36) and Mark Wagh (37) maintained a healthy tempo but Wagh sliced to gully with the score on 85 and Ben Smith then struck a vital blow by running out Knight as he went for a quick single.
Ian Bell went for a duck and when Hogg followed for 18, the game looked out of Warwickshire's reach.
Brown and Penney, the two oldest members of the team, had other ideas and put the game back in the balance with some enterprising running.
Off-spinner Gareth Batty proved their undoing, however, winning an lbw decision against Brown as he tried a reverse sweep and then having Penney taken by Solanki at long-on, the second of three catches for the Man of the Match.
The tail quickly subsided and Andrew Hall sealed the win by having Tony Frost lbw to finish with 3-37.
Warwickshire: N M Carter, M A Wagh, N V Knight (Capt), I R Bell, I J L Trott, T L Penney, G B Hogg, D R Brown, A F Giles T Frost (Wkt), A Richardson.
Worcestershire: S C Moore, V S Solanki, G A Hick, B F Smith (Capt), A J Bichel, A J Hall, G J Batty, D A Leatherdale, S J Rhodes (Wkt), Kabir Ali, M S Mason.