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Higgins career best earns Gloucestershire win

11 August 2020

All-rounder Ryan Higgins struck three times in an over on his way to career-best figures of seven for 42 as Gloucestershire clinched a 78-run Bob Willis Trophy victory over Warwickshire at the Bristol County Ground. 

The former Middlesex player claimed wickets with the first, third and sixth deliveries of his second over with the new ball to reduce the visitors to four for three in their second innings, chasing a victory target of 239 from a minimum of 65 overs. 

Warwickshire never fully recovered and were eventually dismissed for 160, Matt Taylor removing Alex Thomson and Henry Brookes with successive deliveries to finish with two for 27. 

Skipper Will Rhodes top-scored with 48, while Higgins ended with match figures of 11 for 96 as Gloucestershire took 20 points and Warwickshire four. 

It was all rather hard on Oliver Hannon-Dalby, who earlier in the day had completed even more impressive match figures of 12 for 110 by claiming all four wickets after Gloucestershire had resumed on 197 for six in their second innings. 

Jack Taylor, unbeaten on 23 overnight, fell lbw for 34 in Hannon-Dalby’s opening spell and the tall seamer later returned to clean up the tail with the second new ball. 

Tom Smith was leg-before for six after a stand of 36 with George Scott and it was 267 for nine when Josh Shaw was bowled for 11. 

Last man Matt Taylor came out to hit successive boundaries off Hannon-Dalby, who then took revenge by having him caught in the slips by Tim Bresnan. Scott ended 44 not out, a crucial contribution to a total of 275 on his debut for the hosts. 

Lunch was taken before Warwickshire began their second innings. Whatever Higgins tucked into is sure to be on the menu at Gloucestershire’s next home game. 

His second over proved a triple wicket maiden as he had Rob Yates caught off a leading edge for two and quickly followed up by dismissing Sam Hain leg-before and Ian Bell caught behind. 

Warwickshire were in disarray. Rhodes and Matt Lamb staged a partial recovery and had taken the score to 50 in the 19th over when Lamb was bowled for 14 by a full delivery from Josh Shaw.  

Rhodes was unbeaten on 48 at tea. But Higgins again emerged from an interval inspired and struck with the first ball of the evening session, the Warwickshire captain nicking a low leg-side catch to wicketkeeper Gareth Roderick. 

At 80 for five, the visitors had the choice of continuing the run-chase or trying to bat out for a draw. The latter became a more obvious course when Michael Burgess departed lbw to Higgins for 15 with the total on 101. 

Taylor then struck his double blow, helped by a strange choice of shot in the circumstances from Alex Thomson, who pulled a short ball straight to the bowler’s brother Jack Taylor at deep square and fell for three. 

The next delivery saw Brookes trapped leg-before for his second duck of the game and, with the score 104 for eight, Gloucestershire had 23 overs to claim the last two wickets. 

Their former player Craig Miles was brilliantly caught low at first slip by Chris Dent for 12 to give Higgins a sixth wicket.  

Last man Hannon-Dalby and the stubborn Bresnan battled away for almost 12 overs, but it was all over when Hannon-Dalby edged Higgins through to Roderick with a possible 4.5 overs remaining.  

Gloucestershire head coach Richard Dawson said: "At the start of the day we were under pressure to occupy the crease and score runs. George Scott's 44 not out was crucial in that respect and he also did well with the ball, as well as showing himself to be a proper fielder.

"Ryan Higgins is like the heartbeat of our team. The way he goes about his work is brilliant and he fully deserved his best bowling figures in an innings and a match.

"Matt Taylor also bowled a crucial spell first thing after lunch, hardly conceding a run, and we were able to keep Warwickshire under pressure. I was just wondering whether we had run out of steam when the final wicket fell, but it was a terrific performance and one to build on."

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