Bell keeps Bears on title course

PRO40 DIVISION TWO, The Oval:
Warwickshire 201-1 beat Surrey 200-8 by nine wickets (Warwicks 2pts)

Match scorecard

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Ian Bell finished just seven runs short of a third ton in four Pro40 matches

Unbeaten Warwickshire maintained their march towards the Pro40 Division Two title as they slaughtered Surrey by nine wickets at The Oval.

Ian Bell (93no) and Jonathan Trott (79no) shared an unbroken second-wicket stand of 172 to steer the Bears home on 201-1 with five overs to spare.

Surrey had earlier posted 200-8 after slumping from 131-2 to 147-6.

The win took Warwickshire top, and victory in their final game against Lancashire will guarantee the title.

Middlesex slipped to second, but they will reclaim top spot and put the pressure on the Bears if they beat Northants in their last game on Saturday.

After Surrey had laboured to 200 from their 40 overs against accurate bowling, the Bears cruised home, Trott and Bell fully seizing the opportunity, in front of a big TV audience, to seriously embarrass England's one-day selectors.

With the national team heading for a one-day series whitewash by Australia, the initial omission of bang-in-form Trott and Bell - and then the failure to call them up mid-series - appears baffling.

After bottom club Surrey chose to bat, they were always kept on a tight rein.

Michael Brown took the anchor role, taking 87 balls to make his 56, while Usman Afzaal hit 44 from 40 balls before an ugly heave at Stef Piolet caused him to be smartly stumped by Tim Ambrose.

But, once Brown had gone at 142-4, leg before to spinner Ant Botha, Warwickshire had only a modest target to chase.

Needing to take every chance that came along, Surrey dropped an immediate clanger when Trott, on nought, edged Jade Dernbach to second slip, where he was put down by an Australian, home skipper Stewart Walters.

Neil Carter started with a typically rapid 25 from 18 balls but, after he had returned a catch to Jade Dernbach, Trott and Bell played it much as they chose.

Trott, who had earlier shown his other one-day skill by taking three wickets, worked the ball round adroitly in a comparatively minor role.

But Bell's cover driving was exquisite, as he finished just seven runs short of a third century in four innings.