Warwickshire overcome the jitters to beat Kent CB

Warwickshire suffered a few palpitations before booking their home fourth-round tie against Essex with a seven-wicket win over the Kent Cricket Board in sunny Canterbury.

The Forester Kent League amateurs, playing in the Trophy third round for the third summer in succession, had every reason to be delighted with their batting display after posting 237 for two from their 50 overs having been invited to bat by Warwickshire skipper Michael Powell.

A brisk opening stand worth 78 between left-handers James Tredwell and teacher John Bowden (28) was helped on its way by ten wides in the opening two overs as the new ball swung under morning cloud cover.

Bowden lost his off stump to Vasbert Drakes, the pick of the Warwickshire attack with one for 17, but 19-year-old Tredwell teamed up with fellow Kent rookie Paul Lazenbury to add 92 in 21 overs for the Board's second wicket.

Tredwell, who signed a development contract with the county club at the start of the month, his a 107-ball 50 before holing out to Dominic Ostler at deep mid-wicket to make it 163 for two.

Former Gloucestershire left-hander Lazenbury upped the run rate with sixes against Mo Sheikh and Melvyn Betts as he and James Hodgson (29) added 74 in 54 balls with Lazenbury finishing unbeaten on 88 from 93 balls to earn the man-of-the-match nomination.

Only Drakes bowled with much purpose for the visitors who, together with England, must be concerned over the form of spinner Ashley Giles after he conceded 45 runs without a wicket and failed to bowl the last of his 10-over allocation.

Warwickshire lost Neil Smith (12) and Nick Knight (32) relatively early in reply with the England left-hander falling to 40-year-old league veteran Kevin Masters - the father of Kent seamer David.

But Dougie Brown held the innings together with 70 before going leg-before to Lazenbury's occasional off-spinners and then Ostler polished the job off with 82 from just 53 balls, including the winning boundary off Andy Tutt.