Warwickshire Second XI hit the summit of the T20 Central Group for the first time this season after winning by 22 runs against Somerset at Taunton Vale Sports Club on Thursday 28 May.
The Bears maintained their unbeaten start to the campaign, with victory against Somerset their fourth win from six games, which has also included a tie and a no result due to rain.
Having been put into bat, the Bears lost opener Kai Smith first ball, and when Mo Kahn and Hamza Shaikh were dismissed for single figures, Warwickshire were 26 for three.
In-form Zen Malik – who has since been named in the Bears squad to face Worcestershire in the Vitality Blast today – then hit 14 fours in a blistering 70 which came off just 40 balls, and was part of a match-altering 98-run partnership with Oliver Dandy (37 off 36 balls) for the fourth wicket.
Telling contributions late on in the innings from Michael Booth (31 off 16 balls) and Ethan Bamber (16 off seven balls) saw the Bears reach 182 for seven, setting Somerset 183 for victory.
The Bears made early inroads with the ball, striking four times in the first four overs to reduce Somerset to 15 for four in reply.
Bamber, who is currently the leading wicket-taker in Division One of the Rothesay County Championship, was the pick of the bowlers, taking four for 23 from his four overs.
There were two wickets for Booth (two for 29), and a wicket apiece for Nathan Gilchrist and Eddie Miller as Somerset reached 160 for eight from their 20 overs.
The Second XI will look to continue their good form on Monday 1 June, when they play Northamptonshire at Stowe School in Buckingham.