Trescothick ton keeps Somerset unbeatean

Somerset 252 for 3 beat Lancashire 248 for 6 by seven wickets
Scorecard

Captain Marcus Trescothick hit a 69-ball century as Somerset made it maximum points from five Clydesdale Bank 40 games with a seven-wicket Group C win over Lancashire at Taunton.

The home side powered their way to a target of 249 with eight overs to spare, Trescothick hitting an unbeaten 111 and useful contributions coming from Peter Trego (32), James Hildreth (37) and Jos Buttler (51 not out).

Lancashire had posted 248 for 6 after losing the toss, with acting captain Steven Croft hitting 107 off 109 balls, including eight fours and a six, his maiden one-day century. Lewis Gregory took four wickets for 40 runs. However, it wasn't enough as Trescothick blasted three sixes and 11 fours, having initially played second fiddle to Trego - who faced only 18 balls and hit four fours and two sixes in an explosive start to the innings.

The all-rounder relished his promotion to opener in the absence of the injured Craig Kieswetter. But once he fell to a catch at long-off having mistimed a slower ball from Kyle Hogg it was a Trescothick masterclass that entertained a 4,000 crowd.

Hogg was one of the bowlers to suffer as his six overs went for 63, while Stephen Parry's seven overs of left-arm spin cost him 70. Trescothick barely played a false shot on a wicket that looked full of runs - and when Buttler hit the winning boundary it also brought up his 46-ball half-century.

Earlier, Stephen Moore and Karl Brown had put on 34 for Lancashire's first wicket before Moore (19) pulled a delivery from Gregory straight to Hildreth at midwicket. It was 84 for 2 in the 13th over when Brown also fell to a pull shot, caught at deep square by Gregory off Trego for 33.

Croft reached his half-century off 61 balls, with five fours, and then swept seamer Adam Dibble over fine leg for six as he and Paul Horton added 63 for the third wicket. Horton was caught at backward point by Trego off legspinner Max Waller for 23. Then Mark Chilton hit a brisk 25 in a stand of 57 with Croft.

The skipper's century came off 103 balls and he was finally dismissed in the 39th over, caught at long-off by Hildreth off Gregory, who bowled Gareth Cross with a full-length ball to clinch his second successive four-wicket haul in the competition.