A crowd that had booed the umpires for what they saw as an undue delay in the start turned their disaffection towards Warwickshire batsmen who failed to challenge a target of 149 on another dreary early-season afternoon. Semi-finalists in 2007, the Bears are already four points off the leaders in the Midlands group.

One supporter shouted “Bring back Greatbatch” after the gormless Ant Botha was stumped by Paul Nixon having simply forgotten to make good his ground. Mark Greatbatch oversaw a shambles as director of coaching last year so it may have been a 12-pint chant. But Ashley Giles, his successor, clearly has a difficult task ahead.

Nixon's canny work typified an impressive, streetwise all-round Leicestershire performance on a pitch that was changed after water seeped under the covers protecting the original surface. Boeta Dippenaar and Jim Allenby added 63 for the fourth wicket and all the pace bowlers - Ryan Cummins being the pick - then made an impression in an ill-judged reply.

Ian Bell must have regretted his personal request to the England hierarchy to play as he struggled for ten balls over three tormented runs. One attempted flick off his legs almost screwed to third man and he was dropped at extra cover before being put out of his misery two balls later.

A disgruntled crowd had heckled the officials during inspections at 2.30 and 3.30 with little evidence of any mopping up by the groundstaff. An announcement over the public address informed spectators that the outfield was unsafe, but neither set of players appeared to be in much danger during the warm-ups.

Leicestershire, one of the most effective sides in the 20-over format, began cautiously as Darren Maddy shuffled his bowlers, using seven men in the first 11 overs alone. James Anyon offered little to hit and Botha found some grip for his slow left arm after beating HD Ackerman in flight.

Jacques du Toit played solidly for almost a run per ball before working to midwicket and Claude Henderson showed that batsmen could make an impression straight away when he drove his first ball, from Neil Carter, over long on with as sweetly timed a stroke as was struck by anybody all afternoon.

Leicestershire

H D Ackerman st Ambrose b Botha 12

J du Toit c Anyon b Maddy 34

*P A Nixon c Maddy b Trott 9

J Allenby run out 32

H H Dippenaar c Powell b Anyon 32

D du Preez not out 7

C W Henderson run out 8

M A G Boyce not out 3

Extras (lb 2, w 5, nb 4) 11

Total (6 wkts, 23 overs) 148

G J P Kruger, R A G Cummins and M N Malik did not bat.

Fall of wickets: 1-32, 2-57, 3-66, 4-129, 5-130, 6-139.

Bowling: Anyon 5-0-29-1; Carter 5-0-38-0; Zondeki 2-0-13-0; Botha 4-0-19-1; Groenewald 1-0-12-0; Maddy 4-0-19-1; Trott 2-0-16-1.

Warwickshire

N M Carter lbw b Cummins 3

*D L Maddy c Henderson b Malik 29

I R Bell c Nixon b Du Preez 3

I J Westwood c Nixon b Kruger 1

I J L Trott c Nixon b Kruger 13

T R Ambrose lbw b Henderson 28

A G Botha st Nixon b Malik 1

M J Powell b Cummins 11

T D Groenewald c Malik b Henderson 7

M Zondeki c Ackerman b Cummins 2

J E Anyon not out 1

Extras (lb 1, w 1, nb 2) 4

Total (21.5 overs) 103

Fall of wickets: 1-11, 2-24, 3-25, 4-49, 5-57, 6-64, 7-90, 8-98, 9-101.

Bowling: Cummins 4.5-0-21-3; Du Preez 3-0-8-1; Kruger 4-0-23-2; Malik 4-0-20-2;Henderson 5-0-23-2; Allenby 1-0-7-0.

Umpires: A A Jones and N J Llong.