FRIENDS PROVIDENT t20, Derby:
Warwickshire 123-7 (19.2 ovs) beat Derbyshire 120-4 (20 ovs) by three wickets
Match scorecard

Bell's last game of Twenty20 was for England Lions in Abu Dhabi in February

England's Ian Bell returned to Bears duty in style with a classy 66 to inspire Warwickshire to a narrow three-wicket FP t20 victory at Derby.

But the Bears were made hard to work hard for their second straight Twenty20 win as they almost lost their way.

Chasing Derbyshire's 120-4, in which home skipper Greg Smith top scored with 28, the Bears looked well set on 83-3.

But a late clatter of wickets, chiefly Bell's, made them sweat before winning on 123-7, with four balls to spare.

Chris Woakes, who had earlier conceded only nine runs in his four overs, struck the winning runs.

But Woakes' main contribution had come much earlier in the evening when he got rid of explosive South African batsman Loots Bosman for a golden duck in the first over.

On a slow, low pitch, Chesney Hughes was in for nine overs for his 24. But Bell, not needed in England's Twenty20- winning team in the West Indies, made it look a bit easier when he batted, helping to put the Bears back on course after a sticky start.

Bell's England colleague Jonathan Trott was removed for a third ball duck as the Bears slumped to 25-3 before Bell's fourth-wicket stand of 58 in eight overs with Darren Maddy (23).

Bell was dropped by wicketkeeper Lee Goddard off Garry Park on 41 before following Maddy back to the hutch as the Bears' late wobble gathered pace.

Maddy clipped home skipper Smith to mid on, before Bell skied a slog-sweep at the off-spinner. And, when former Derbyshire skipper Rikki Clarke was yorked by Stefan Jones, that left 16 still needed off three overs.

Bears captain Ian Westwood was unluckily run out backing up for 12 with the game still in the balance, but Woakes hit Smith over the top to seal Warwickshire's win on a damp, misty night at the Racecourse Ground.

It knocks Derbyshire off the top of the North Group, leaving the Bears second behind new leaders Lancashire, who are top only on run rate.

The Bears now have a chance to go top against Durham at Edgbaston on Friday night (1730 BST).

After winning their first two matches, Derbyshire's first defeat drops them to third, but still level on points with Lancashire and Warwickshire.

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version