GLOUCESTERSHIRE'S fading hopes of reaching the quarter-finals of the Twenty20 Cup took a potentially fatal blow at Edgbaston last night.

Defeat against Warwickshire Bears by four wickets, leaves them requiring a minor miracle to qualify from the Midlands/Wales/West division. The Gladiators are rooted to the bottom of the group with just one win from their first six games.

After scoring 135-7 batting first, Gloucestershire's hopes of victory were dashed by Bears captain Ian Westwood, who scored 44 off 37 balls, to lead his side home with an over to spare.

Opener Grant Hodnett top scored with 39 off 36 balls for Gloucestershire, while Craig Spearman (27 off 19 balls) and Kadeer Ali (20 off 20 balls) also made telling contributions.

The total looked modest but Gloucestershire had the hosts in trouble at 59-4.

Gemaal Hussain had Neil Carter caught by Vikram Banerjee and Jim Troughton caught by Craig Spearman for a golden duck on his way to 3-20 off three overs and Jon Lewis bowled Jonathan Trott.

Richard Dawson took the prize wicket of England batsmen Ian Bell (12), who presented another catch to Spearman, but Westwood came in at number six to take control.

Another England international, Tim Ambrose, became Dawson's (2-30) second victim but his innings of 18 and Ant Botha's 11 before he was removed by Vikram Banerjee, offered enough support to their skipper to help guide the Bears over the line.

On Wednesday, Gloucestershire suffered a sickening ten-run defeat to Northants at Bristol.

Jon Lewis (4-37) and Steve Kirby (3-29) helped them bowl the Steelbacks out for 162, with former county legend Ian Harvey top-scoring with 48.

Depsite making a flying start in reply with Hamish Marshall's 42 off 28 balls, 30 off 21 balls from Hodnett and later 40 from skipper Alex Gidman, they lost six wickets for 40 runs to close on 152-7.