Date-stamped : 11 Jul97 - 14:21
Small`s big impact

By Mike Beddow at Edgbaston

Warwickshire (220) bt Somerset (209) by 11 runs

THE  central  character  in this plot did not bat, bowl or field.
For Dermot Reeve, it was a day to potter about with no direct in-
put into the meeting of employers past and present.

Only   the   bottom   line remained unaltered: Warwickshire main-
tained a 100 per cent record in five NatWest ties  with  Somerset
since  1991,  three  of which led to appearances in the final for
Reeve.

When he retired last year because of injury, Warwickshire lost  a
captain  who  had  won six trophies in three seasons and Somerset
gained a coach who might become the talisman of Taunton.

But  not yet. A quarter-final place beckoned  during  a  partner-
ship  of  83  between the former Warwickshire wicketkeeper, Piran
Holloway, and the man-of-the-match Simon Ecclestone. Then it  was
taken away when Gladstone Small took three wickets in 21 balls.

Holloway`s  grimly  determined  progress to 38 in 41 overs  ended
with a catch behind the wicket and Mark Lathwell played on to his
leg  stump.   Keith  Parsons was the third victim and it was then
that Eccle- stone undeservedly began to look at the losers`  cor-
ner.

Ultimately   he   was   ninth out for 87, driving to mid-off, and
Somerset`s collapse from 135 for two was  completed  when  Ashley
Giles took the last wicket with nine balls remaining.

Ecclestone`s  batting, crisp and assured, was as good as any on a
pitch in its sixth day of use in the  last  eight.   The   bounce
and   swing  was  initially   a   liability   for  Warwickshire`s
bowlers, as wides contributed 20 extras in the first 30 runs. All
they had  to  show  was  a slip catch by Dominic Ostler.

Warwickshire`s   innings  was  badly holed at the outset by Rose,
then repaired by  Ostler  in   half-century   partnerships   with
David Hemp and Trevor Penney.

Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/)

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