Worcestershire Royals slumped to a 109-run defeat against the Gloucestershire Gladiators in the CB40 at New Road.

The visitors won the toss and chose to bat and lost Hamish Marshall in the fifth over when he was caught by Alexei Kervezee at deep square-leg off Jack Shantry for 15. Benny Howell (7) departed, with the score on 50, when Phil Hughes took a diving one handed-catch at point off Shantry but Will Gidman played steadily and along with Kane Williamson they put on 53 for the third wicket, as the Gladiators moved on to 103-2 in the 20th over, until Williamson (29) was caught by Solanki at deep mid-wicket off Daryl Mitchell.

Then it became the Gidman show as Will and captain Alex put on 97 for the fourth wicket until Will Gidman was bowled by Moeen Ali for 76 off 98 balls, with 3 fours. Shantry then took two more wickets, to end up with figures of 4-37 off 7 overs, as he bowled both Ian Cockbain (3) and Alex Gidman, who scored 59 off 50 balls, with 3 fours and 2 sixes, and Gloucestershire eventually took their total to 238-6 off their 40 overs.

The Royals opening pair of Ali and Solanki took the score to 11 in the 5th over until Solanki was caught by David Payne at mid-on off Will Gidman for 2. In the next over Ali was caught behind by Jon Batty off James Fuller for 7 and then three more wickets went in the space of four overs as Hughes (4) and Daryl Mitchell (1) were both trapped lbw and when Kervezee was caught behind for 0 the Royals innings was in tatters at 25-5 in the 11th over.

James Cameron (35) and Gareth Andrew (23) tried to get the innings going as they put on 46 for the sixth wicket but when they were both caught by Williamson on the on-side off Taylor the match was over, with the score on 79-7. The eighth wicket fell on 91 when Ben Scott bowled for 9, Shaaiq Choudhry was lbw for 16 and when David Lucas was stumped for 17 Worcestershire were all out for 129 off 39.1 overs to succumb to a heavy defeat.