Leg Trappers 195

Warwick 201 for two

Chris Douglas produced a vintage display of batting at Police Field yesterday, hammering an unbeaten 93 to guide Warwick to a comfortable eight-wicket win over Leg Trappers.

Batting with a maturity belying his tender years, Douglas led Warwick's impressive reply from start to finish as he put a depleted Leg Trappers attack to the sword with some audacious strokeplay that sent the ball racing to all segments of the ground.

And no bowler would be spared the wrath, not even 2007 World Cup veteran Saleem Mukuddem who was carted out of the attack after being pounded by Douglas through the covers and then dumped over long on for six. Douglas' footwork was impeccable and his hitting through the line just as flawless. Anything pitched short was easily slashed through the covers or dragged through midwicket, while any delivery over-pitched was delicately flicked off the pads down the legside.

The left-handed opener had no trouble finding the gaps, thumping eight fours and two sixes, including the game winner in the 38th over off seamer Nigel Forrester who was effortlessly hoisted over long on. Along with fellow opener Sammy Robinson (71), Douglas formed a solid 136-run opening partnership that took the shine off the new ball and placed Warwick firmly on course for a first win of the season.

Robinson's approach was also air tight and with Douglas in full flow at the opposite end the pair purposefully combined controlled aggression with sharp running between the stumps to keep the pressure on the fielders. Robinson scored the bulk of his runs off the back foot but whenever the opportunity presented itself he stood tall and drove the ball down the ground with precision timing.

The former St.David's all-rounder helped himself to ten fours and seemed destined for triple digits before eventually falling leg before off a ball from Forrester that kept low as it cut back into the batsman.

But by then the writing had long been on the wall and fittingly it was Douglas who served the proverbial last rites to seal Warwick's victory with 12.5 overs to spare.

Forrester and leg spinner Dwayne Webber accounted for the only two Warwick wickets to tumble on another good Police Field batting strip. Earlier, Warwick skipper Kian Butterfield claimed four for 29 and Robinson two for 22 to restrict Leg Trappers below the double century mark. Chris Fleming (46), Mukuddem (42) and Arun Kikkeri (21) all managed good starts, but found little in the way of support from their team-mates who struggled to come to grips with the seam of Butterfield and Robinson.