Somerset extend lead despite rain
Somerset extended their lead at the top of the Clydesdale Bank 40 Group C table but they had to settle for a point after no result was possible in their clash with Lancashire Lightning at Old Trafford
18-Jul-2011
Somerset extended their lead at the top of the Clydesdale Bank 40 Group C table but they had to settle for a point after no result was possible in their clash with Lancashire Lightning at Old Trafford.
Rain throughout the day in Manchester prevented play starting until 8.15pm, which meant the clash was reduced to 15 overs per side. But there was more wet weather to come after 7.4 overs of Lancashire's innings with the hosts struggling at 39 for 3 on a turning track.
Somerset, last year's runners-up, may have moved one point clear of Essex after six matches but this result ended their 100 percent record in this year's competition. Spinners Murali Kartik, Max Waller and Arul Suppiah bowled 5.4 of the 7.4 overs - with the former two taking the new ball.
Indian Kartik, a former Lancashire overseas player, struck with the sixth ball of the match when he had Stephen Moore caught at point by Craig Meschede. Lightning stand-in captain Steven Croft, who had earlier won the toss, hit two boundaries off Waller's first over but he and his partners failed to find the fence again until the seventh over when he pulled Meschede's medium pace to the fence twice.
During that time opener Karl Brown became the second wicket to go, trapped lbw by Alfonso Thomas for one to leave the score at 15 for 2 in the third over. Paul Horton struggled for any rhythm during his innings of 7 not out off 17 balls and he lost Croft lbw to the legspin of Waller the ball before the rain arrived as Jordan Clark made his way to the crease.
Croft, whose side have only won two of their six matches, finished with 26 off 18 balls. Kartik claimed figures of 1 for 6 from two overs, and Thomas 1 for 1 from one over.
