ONLY Warwickshire aficianados or members of the redoubtable Association of Cricket Statisticians could look at the scoreboard of yesterday's game at Edgbaston and refrain from remarking to his neighbour or spouse: ``I see Brian Lara got yet another one-day hundred for Warwickshire.'' Believe it or not, it was his first.

During all the sunny days of that record-breaking season here four years ago his top score in a limited-overs match was 81. That was not a statistic likely to last much longer and he duly put the matter straight at Northamptonshire's expense. His innings was, of course, a pleasure to watch, even on a day cold enough for umpire David Constant's golfer's bobble-hat to be sensible protection but Lara's delightful strokeplay was not the only reason for Warwickshire's 71-run win.

On a day when the ball swung, one bowling performance stood out. There were nine players on the two sides who have bowled seriously in either Test or international cricket but the best of the 12 who delivered a ball yesterday was one of the uncapped ones: Edward Giddins. 'Decline and Fall' is about, I believe, to become Rise and Shine for a cricketer who should soon be a serious candidate for Test cricket.

Whether his own form and that of rivals will justify a first cap for Giddins on this ground on June 4 against South Africa remains to be determined but there would be no better place to start. The point about Giddins, once he has convinced any lingering doubters that he is dedicated to his profession, is that he not only swings the ball but does so at a pace likely to unsettle good Test batsmen.

Yesterday he took the first two Northants wickets and would have had a third if Rob Bailey had not been dropped at first slip off an outswinger the ball after he had moved one the other way to trap David Capel leg before. Richard Montgomerie was brilliantly caught at second slip off another outswinger and seven overs with the new ball yielded Giddins two for 11 before Bailey and Kevin Curran dared to play an attacking shot.

Bailey and Tony Penberthy kept calm as they tried to rebuild once Curran had driven to cover in the 22nd over, but recovery was too slow. Neil Smith and Ashley Giles changed their pace expertly and once Franklyn Rose and Penberthy - after some sweetly timed strokes - had fallen to catches at long-off, the game was up.

Rose had bowled accurately and, like Giddins later, swung the ball away at full length. He alone was spared rough treatment from Lara. Coming in at No 4, his timing and the all-round versatility of his strokes were wonderful.

His 101 came from 89 balls with a six and nine fours and he swept through the nineties with a square-cut, a drive through extra-cover, a whipped single to mid- wicket and another driven to mid-on before lifting off his helmet to reveal that he, too, has succumbed to the fashionable 'No 1' haircut.

Dougie Brown played a fine innings in his own right, reaching his fifty off 57 balls with some shrewd pummelling through the off-side, but the rest of the home batsmen were a little too fond of the aerial route.

Warwickshire are, however, well on the way at least to the quarter finals but not all their ambitions are being realised. Their plan to take a minority shareholding in the financially ruined Moseley Rugby Football club and to turn Edgbaston into a 12- month floodlit stadium has broken down mainly because of a disagreement on the monetary arrangements.

Dennis Amiss, Warwickshire's chief executive, said that, if planning permission is granted and local residents do not oppose it, permanent floodlights might yet be installed during this season.