Clydesdale Bank 40: Somerset suffers second defeat of the season
Somerset suffered their second defeat of this season’s Clydesdale Bank 40 after a clinical bowling performance from Worcestershire consigned them to a 49-run defeat at the County Ground, New Road, Worcester on Monday. In a bid to chase down http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Worcestershire-c866’s 40 overs total of 255 for 9, Somerset mustered 206 runs for the loss of nine wickets at the end of the allotted overs as the hosts sealed a 49 run victory.
On the day when most of the Somerset batsmen were off colour, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Craig-Kieswetter-c51708 blazed away with the bat to score a 97-ball ton. However, his century was not enough to stop Somerset from losing their second match of the season. Only three batsmen managed to get past 20 while the rest of the batsmen fell for single digit scores. Kieswetter’s 107 off 100 deliveries was followed by Peter Trego’s 35 runs while Murali Kartik remained not out at 26 off 24 balls. Jack Shantry claimed three scalps in his quota of 8 overs followed by Alan Richardson’s 2 for 22 from seven overs. Gareth Andrew, Moeen Ali and Shaaiq Choudhry shared one wicket each.
Half centuries from Shakib Al Hasan and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Moeen-Ali-c1990 helped the hosts to set a daunting total of 255 for nine from their allotted 40 overs. Shakib scored whirlwind 91 off just 69 balls, hitting the ball ten times through the boundary line while Moen Ali’s half century came through 55 deliveries with the help of seven boundaries. Alfonso Thomas registered a four-wicket haul while Peter Trego and Zander de Bruyn picked up two wickets each.
Worcestershire, after winning the toss, opted to bat first. Daryl Mitchell’s decision of batting first was well respected by his batting line. An explosive opening combination between Moeen Ali and Vikram Solanki blazed away with the bat to set a strong foundation of 62 runs for the rest of the batting line. Vikram Solanki departed in the 10th over, slashing http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Peter-Trego-c2181 to Murali Kartik. Solanki earned the hosts 28 runs from 32 balls. During his 39 minute stay at the crease, Solanki entertained the home crowd with four well-timed boundaries.
Moeen Ali shared a 23 run stand with Alexei Kervezee for the second wicket partnership before the later was trapped leg before wicket by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Alfonso-Thomas-c991. Kervezee scored 10 runs from 17 balls hitting a boundary as well. Kervezee’s dismissal took Shakib Al Hasan to the crease and in partnership with Solanki’s opening partner Moeen Ali; the pair played a string of beautiful shots to drag the side towards a competitive score. Both batsmen took the side to 132 for 2 from 85 for 2. Moeen Ali in the meanwhile struck his fifty off 54 balls but failed to capitalize upon his half century and departed moments after bringing up his fifty.
It was Zander de Bruyn who broke the partnership on the first ball of the 22nd over when he bowled the opener with a fine delivery. Ali entertained the county lovers by hammering seven fours across the turf. After Moeen Ali’s dismissal, no batsman could support Shakib Al http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Hasan-c61990’s assault and the hosts kept on losing wickets at regular intervals. The last seven batsmen went back to the pavilion for a combined contribution of less than 50 runs. Shakib top scored for Worcestershire with a 69-ball 91 that pushed the home side to a competitive score of 255 for 9 despite a lack of contribution from the other middle and lower order batsmen.
Somerset’s run chase went off to a bad start, losing skipper Trescothick in the third over with only 8 on the board as things continued to go downhill from there. The visitors kept on losing wickets at regular intervals. With the wickets clattering at the other end, Kieswetter exploded sensibly but without any solid support from the other end. His century was not sufficient to help avoid a 49 run defeat at the hands of Worcestershire.
Tags: