BRITISH Universities, inspired by Will House of Cambridge and Kent who made a whirlwind 64 and took five for 58, caused a big upset by beating Gloucestershire at the County Ground yesterday.
This was a superb team performance by the Universities for whom Anurag Singh made 56 and Mark Chilton 54 with others chipping in. Robin Martin-Jenkins made vital early in-roads into Gloucestershire's batting and finished with three for 39.
Gloucestershire seemed in control while Jack Russell, 119 not out, and Tony Wright (93) were putting together a county record fourth-wicket stand for this competition of 207 but, after Wright's dismissal, House's steadiness and excellent catching carried the day.
Gloucestershire were soon in trouble at 29 for three in the 11th over with Ben Hutton, son and grandson of England cricketers, bowling Rob Cunliffe and Martin-Jenkins having Tim Hancock caught at third man and Mark Alleyne taken at slip.
When Martin-Jenkins and Hutton were rested, the former after taking two for 11 off six overs, the bowling remained steady as Wright and Russell gave Mike Davies's slow left-arm and Chilton's floated deliveries plenty of respect as they battled back.
It was not until the 30th over that the scoring rate reached four runs per over. At that stage 160 were needed at eight runs per over, a tallish order but not an impossible one against inexperienced bowlers.
Certainly the Universities wilted perceptibly as Russell and Wright cracked on and Gloucestershire were looking good until Wright, after hitting 10 fours off 99 balls, chipped House to midwicket.
Jon Lewis was brilliantly caught at deepish point two balls later, Bobby Dawson fell lbw aiming across the line, Hutton caught Matt Windows at long on, Greg Loveridge caught Courtney Walsh, also in the deep, and Russell, having hit eight fours off 137 balls, was left high and dry.
Though the Universities, who were put in, lost an early wicket, the hard-hitting Singh and the tall and composed Chilton quickly got on top, thanks partly to outfielding that varied between the moderate and the truly appalling.
When Singh thin-edged Alleyne, Loveridge came in to play some fine strokes before skying Walsh to gully. Chilton's innings was only ended by Alleyne's brilliant catch taken at full stretch at midwicket.
By now House, left-handed and pugnacious, was smashing the bowling to all parts, not even Walsh escaping punishment and, when he was finally dismissed, he had ensured a formidable score, hitting two huge sixes and seven fours off only 44 balls.