Notts Outlaws got their campaign in the NatWest Pro-40 League off to a flying start as Graeme Swann led the thrashing of Warwickshire Bears.

Warwickshire Bears 191 (Ferley 3-32, Ealham 2-24)
Notts Outlaws 194-4 (Swann 80, Wagh 66)

Notts Outlaws won by six wickets
Scorecard

Swann launched the home bowling attack to all corners of Edgbaston as he fired 80 off just 53 balls, including three sixes and 11 fours, to set up a comprehensive victory.

It was the 28-year-old’s first 50 in one-day cricket for four years and the second highest of his career, just three short of his 2001 best for Northants.

Warwickshire skipper Darren Maddy had chosen to bat after winning the toss but although he produced an aggressive innings of 56, wickets kept tumbling around him.

After AJ Harris and Kyle Hogg removed Neil Carter, Ian Westwood and Jonathan Trott, Mark Ealham was able to apply the brakes by dismissing Maddy caught and bowled.

Rob Ferley then stepped up with 3-32 from his eight overs including the wicket of Tim Groenewald, caught on the midwicket boundary by Mark Wagh, tipping the ball in the air as he neared the rope before stepping back inside to take the catch.

That left Notts chasing a very gettable target of 192 to win and Swann quickly got stuck in, using the fielding restrictions of the first 15 overs to hit over the top of the infield.

Captain Stephen Fleming missed out on the fun, dismissed for a second-ball duck, but Wagh compiled his fifth half-century in one-day cricket this season as he and Swann put on 108 for the second wicket.

Both fell before the close but their quick scoring meant that Samit Patel and Chris Read completed the win with 50 balls to spare.

Director of Cricket Mick Newell was delighted and said: “All-round, that was a very good performance. We bowled and fielded well and the batting was excellent.

“Warwickshire were aggressive but we kept on taking wickets throughout the innings and never lost control of the game.

“Swann and Wagh then got on top of their bowlers and did a terrific job. We look for Swanny to give us a good start and he did that very well and also carried on to set up the match for us.”