Tim Ambrose has hit an unbeaten 66 to help Birmingham Bears to 160-5 in their Natwest T20 Blast fixture against Leicestershire Foxes.
Despite winning the toss, the home side soon found themselves a wicket down after Varun Chopra slashed the ball straight to point for just two.
Ian Bell began aggressively and added a quick-fire 19 before he was dismissed by Clint McKay, who had Tom Wells to thank for a spectacular catch at mid-off.
With the score at 22-2 off 3.3 overs, William Porterfield and Ambrose needed to begin a rebuilding job and the pair put on a valuable third-wicket partnership of 80 off 9.4 overs before Porterfield fell for 40 off 27 balls.
Ambrose remained at the crease, though, and eventually brought up his 50 off 46 balls with his fifth boundary of the innings to take the Bears up to 135-3 in the 18th over.
Laurie Evans added 13 before he was bowled by McKay, and that dismissal brought to the crease Rikki Clarke who immediately hit back-to-back fours to take Birmingham to 150 with six balls remaining.
Clarke soon fell for nine but a seventh boundary from Ambrose saw him end unbeaten on 66 off 54 balls to leave Leicestershire chasing eight runs per over.
Darren Plant
