Somerset Climb Standings With Double Win
Somerset have moved up the Group A standings in the Metro Bank One Day Cup after picking up two wins from three in a busy round of fixtures.
The first of those three saw the Vertu Motors-backed side head to the Riverside to take on Durham, with Somerset going in to bat first.
Andy Umeed fell in the second over without scoring, whilst George Thomas was lucky to escape an early dismissal when he was caught of a no ball on seven. Thomas took full advantage of that escape as he helped to put on 119 for the second wicket with Lewis Goldsworthy before he was bowled by Colin Ackermann for 48.
Ackermann then bowled James Rew first ball but Sean Dickson helped to add 65 for the fourth wicket before he and Josh Thomas also departed to consecutive deliveries.
Goldsworthy’s innings fall him fall seven short of a century when he was sixth man out with the score on 197, with Kasey Aldridge and Josh Davey helping to set a target of 242 when the innings drew to a close.
The home side made a solid start to their reply as Alex Lees and Ben McKinney put on 40 for the first wicket but the pair then fell in consecutive overs before Jack Leach then removed Colin Ackermann and Michael Jones in the same over with just eight more runs having been added.
Leach’s spin would ultimately be the difference as he bowled Bas de Leede and trapped Jonathan Bushell LBW in the 18th over, and later took the wickets of both Haydon Mustard and Paul Coughlin to end up with figures of 6-26.
It meant Durham could muster just 108 all out, to give Somerset victory by 133 runs.
Next up was a home tie with Lancashire at Taunton, and this time it was Alridge who would do the damage with the ball as he followed the lead set by Leach a few days earlier.
Lancashire started in cautious manner with an opening partnership of 46 after losing the toss, with Leach grabbing the first wicket when he bowled Harry Singh.
The real damage came when Aldridge came into the attack with Lancashire three down as he grabbed 6-33, including the wickets of top scorers Chris Green and George Bell.
Bowling the visitors out for 218, Somerset recovered from the loss of Umeed – once again in the second over – to storm to victory with nearly ten overs to spare.
George Thomas would be the hero with 106 not out, with Goldsworthy adding 38 and Rew hitting 60 in a comfortable win.
Somerset then batted first against Derbyshire – again at Taunton – after losing the toss and recovered well from losing George Thomas and Goldsworthy in the first four overs to go on and make 316-5.
Rew top scored with 88 whilst captain Dickson made 86, with Umeed and Josh Thomas also hitting half centuries before Derbyshire’s reply started in shaky fashion – going five wickets down with 90 on the board.
David Lloyd and Anuj Dal then shared a partnership of 145 for the sixth wicket before Lloyd was caught off the bowling of Josh Davey, but Dal continued to take the visitors closing to their total as he reached 115 before being bowled by Davey with twelve runs still needed.
Harry Moore and Sam Conners held their nerve to secure a one wicket win, although Somerset are still sitting third in the standings – just two points off top spot.
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