Bristol floodlit match ends in frustration

Gloucestershire Gladiators v Somerset Sabres

The floodlit West Country National League showdown at Bristol ended in frustration and disappointment for both teams and a 6,000 crowd.

An exciting finish looked in prospect when Somerset posted a useful 223 all out off exactly 45 overs after winning the toss.

But before Gloucestershire could start their reply the steady drizzle turned into heavier rain and the skies closed in. With the outfield saturated, umpires Barry Dudleston and Trevor Jesty abandoned the match at just after 9pm.

The two points for each side were enough to take Somerset to the top of the First Division on run-rate, with Worcestershire and Gloucestershire also locked on 26 points.

But both teams wanted victory to boost their title hopes and Worcestershire now have a game in hand in which to regain top spot.

Somerset were marginal favourites when the rain came, although an even bigger score looked likely when Marcus Trescothick and Mark Lathwell put on 80 effortless runs in 16 overs for the first wicket.

Lathwell was finally trapped lbw by Gloucestershire captain Mark Alleyne for 37, having shown glimpses of top form.

Ian Blackwell's promotion in the order backfired when he was caught behind off the next ball. But Trescothick displayed the new-found confidence of his England success with a flowing half-century.

The powerful left-hander was proving difficult to contain when his wicket was sacrificed in one of three run-outs, which restricted the Somerset total.

Calling for a second run to Jeremy Snape running in from the mid-wicket boundary, Trescothick was sent back by skipper Jamie Cox and beaten by a throw to the bowler's end.

When Cox himself was also run-out for 26, attempting a quick leg-bye off Tim Hancock, which was rightly rejected by Peter Bowler, Somerset were 134-4 and had surrendered the initiative.

Wickets fell steadily as Alleyne defied a back problem to take 3-36 from his nine overs and it took a patient and sensible innings of 47 from Keith Parsons to ensure a testing target.

After a slow start, Parsons blossomed and was aided by an unusually loose final over from Mike Smith, who was clearly having difficulty in gripping the ball as the drizzle increased.

Two no-ball beamers slipped from his grasp, one of which was dispatched for four by Parsons, who then lifted a lower full-toss over mid-wicket for the only six of the innings.

He was out to the last ball, caught by Hancock on the square-leg boundary. But by then the over was worth 19 and Somerset had a total they felt confident of defending.

Gloucestershire's fielding was below its normal high standard and two chances went begging, both to the normally safe hands of Martyn Ball, including one off his own bowling.

But the pitch was true and easy-paced, indicating that a close contest might have been in prospect had the weather not intervened.