Drakes bowls Warwickshire to 10-wicket win

Vasbert Drakes bowled Warwickshire to an improbable ten-wicket win as Gloucestershire's fragile batting again let them down at Edgbaston.

A draw appeared the most likely outcome when Warwickshire declared at their overnight total with a lead of only 88 but it proved more than enough for Gloucestershire who tumbled to 106 all out.

Drakes took five for 37 in 19 hostile overs, his first five-wicket haul for Warwickshire, and Gloucestershire had no reply to his aggression and accuracy on a pitch that offered some sideways movement.

But there was little excuse for Gloucestershire's timid approach as they slipped to 17 for four in the first 45 minutes which effectively sealed their fate.

Dominic Hewson lost his middle and off stumps after he deflected a rising delivery from Drakes via his elbow and Matt Windows then fell leg before shuffling across his stumps to Melvyn Betts.

Chris Taylor gave Warwickshire a helping hand when he shouldered arms and went leg before to Drakes and Kim Barnett then edged Betts to wicket-keeper Keith Piper with a loose push outside off stump.

Mark Alleyne and Jermey Snape prospered for a time while Drakes and Betts were recharging their batteries but Alleyne fell to the first of three catches by Ian Bell at short leg as he pushed forward to Dougie Brown.

Bell held another bat-pad catch to account for Snape when Drakes returned at the City End and he then produced a stunning effort, diving to his left, to get rid of Reggie Williams off a full-blooded stroke.

Martyn Bell played on to Brown, Drakes took his fifth wicket when James Averis offered no stroke and lost his off stump but belated belligerence from Tim Hancock and Jon Lewis ensured Gloucestershire avoided their lowest-ever score at Edgbaston and ensured that Warwickshire had to bat again.

But Warwickshire needed only 19 to record their third win in four Championship matches and openers Bell and Piper needed only four overs to knock off the runs.