Lumb keeps Notts in the hunt

In-form batsmen Michael Lumb and Riki Wessels struck half centuries to help Nottinghamshire keep their hopes alive in this year's CB40 with a comfortable victory over struggling Somerset.

The duo came together to post what proved to be a key partnership of 79 in just 11 overs for the second wicket as the hosts successfully chased 206 to win. That was after bowlers Darren Pattinson (3 for 37) and Jake Ball (3 for 38) had led the way for the home attack in restricting the visitors to a below-par total.

The five-wicket victory allowed Nottinghamshire to bounce back from a 91-run drubbing at Durham on Sunday, while Somerset were left reeling by their fourth consecutive defeat in this format.

Notts won the toss and broke through in the sixth over when Pattinson snared Nick Compton (7) caught behind. Craig Kieswetter (24) upped the Somerset tempo in tandem with Peter Trego before he was one of two victims in consecutive overs for Ball, who also bowled replacement James Hildreth (3).

Trego, however, was largely untroubled and added 55 with Jos Buttler in nine overs before he was trapped lbw by the returning Pattinson for 47 from 53 balls, with a four and a six. Buttler (29) followed soon after as he was undone by a Samit Patel quicker ball that bowled him as he advanced down the pitch.

It was left to Craig Meschede (33) and Arul Suppiah (39) to set some kind of score for Notts to chase as they shared 42 for the sixth wicket. Meschede was eventually run out after a mix-up, while Suppiah holed out off Pattinson's final ball of the Somerset innings.

Notts began their reply well as Lumb put on 56 with Alex Hales (22), who was first out after pulling Lewis Gregory to Suppiah at deep midwicket. Lumb coasted to 50 with an array of attractive drives through the covers while Wessels quickly hit his straps, clubbing off spinner Max Waller over the legside boundary.

The stand was ended by Meschede, who induced a mistimed pull from Lumb, who had faced 60 balls and struck seven fours and one six in his 65.

Wessels went with the total on 157 as he nicked through to Kieswetter off Thomas. But although Patel (16) and James Taylor (12) quickly perished, Notts' win was confirmed by Adam Voges (15 not out) and Chris Read (14 not out) with 20 balls to spare.