http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Gloucestershire-c785 by 15 runs: Friends Life T20 – Match Recap
Somerset overcame Gloucestershire easily by 15 runs in a match of the Friends Life Twenty20, at the County Ground, Taunton in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c56013, on Friday, July 8, 2011.
The home team’s wicketkeeper batsman, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Jos-Buttler-c1733, guided his side to 170 at the end of their allotted 20 overs. Only four wickets fell in the innings, which allowed the batsmen to play their shots freely in the death overs.
In reply, Gloucestershire were given a fabulous start by New Zealand’s http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Hamish-John-Hamilton-Marshall-c61362, but the lower-order failed miserably and the team was restricted to 155 for the loss of nine wickets in the end.
The pitch was very good for the batsmen, as it was hard and dry. However, the visitors’ skipper, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Gordon-James-Muchall-c60376 easier in the second half of the game, electing to field first after winning the toss.
The decision seemed to be a good one at the start of the Somerset innings, as they lost a couple of batsmen early.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Marcus-Edward-Trescothick-c74400, who has been scoring runs consistently for the hosts, was the first man to be dismissed in the innings. He lasted just two balls and was sent back to the pavilion without troubling the scorers.
Craig Meschede was the next man to follow. He looked good in his cameo innings, scoring 24 runs from just 13 deliveries with the help of four fours and one six. He was followed by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Short-c90107 stay at the crease.
The innings was then stabilised by James Buttler and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/James-Charles-Hildreth-c65540. The pair batted nicely, collecting 57 runs for the fourth-wicket partnership before the latter was dismissed after scoring 34 runs.
However, the keeper batsman continued to dominate the bowlers and powered to 72 runs off just 45 balls with the help of six fours and three thunderous sixes. He got excellent support from West Indian dynamite, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/KA-Pollard-c1754, who ended up with an unbeaten
31 off 19 deliveries.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/David-Alan-Payne-c52579 was the only bowler to cause a few problems for the opposition, as he picked up a couple of wickets in his spell.
Gloucestershire were given a superb start by their openers, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Marshall-c74817 and Kevin O’Brien. They put together 51 runs for the first wicket before the latter got out after collecting 34 runs.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Chris-Taylor-c1253 also offered some support to the Kiwi batsman, but got out after a run-a-ball 19 runs. Marshall completed his half-century and was dismissed after contributing 52 runs to the total.
The visitors collapsed after that, as none of their lower-order players managed to reach double figures. The team was restricted to 155/9 in the end.
Pollard had an excellent game all-round, as he took three wickets in the match after scoring a crucial 31.
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