Zander de Bruyn powers Somerset home
Zander de Bruyn produced a magnificent 95 not out to guide Somerset to a six-wicket win over arch-rivals Gloucestershire in the Friends Provident t20 match at Taunton
18-Jun-2010
Somerset 200 for 4 beat Gloucestershire199 for 8
Scorecard
Scorecard
Zander de Bruyn produced a magnificent 95 not out to guide Somerset to a
six-wicket win over arch-rivals Gloucestershire in the Friends Provident t20
match at Taunton.
The Gladiators won the toss and set an imposing total of 199 for 8, with
Steve Snell scoring 50 and Hamish Marshall 45. There were three wickets each for
Ben Phillips and Alfonso Thomas.
Somerset looked in trouble until Kieron Pollard (54) joined de Bruyn in a
century stand for the fourth wicket in only seven overs. The West Indian hit
five towering sixes to help turn the match. But no one hit harder than de Bruyn, who faced just 49 balls and smashed five sixes and eight fours to lead his team to victory with seven balls to spare.
It was a superb innings by a player more noted for textbook shots than
murderous hitting and the partnership with Pollard will be long remembered for
clean striking of the ball.
Vikram Banerjee suffered more than most. The left-arm spinner went for 54 off
his four overs, while Anthony Ireland conceded the same figure off one ball
fewer.
Earlier, Gloucestershire had batted positively and well from the start of their
innings and reached 61 for 2 by the end of their six overs of Powerplay.
There was a moment of controversy when Thomas dived to claim a caught and
bowled offered by Will Porterfield on 18. The opener refused to walk and was
given not out, adding six more to his score before being caught behind off Mark
Turner.
Chris Taylor played well for his 29 and Marshall hit five fours and a six in
facing 26 balls. However, the best innings came from Snell, who smacked four sixes and three
fours in reaching his half-century off just 25 deliveries. Kadeer Ali added 17 off just seven balls at the end of the innings and Somerset's bowlers could reflect on an off-night.
Their one moment of brilliance in the field came in the last over when Peter
Trego dived full length to his left to hold a stunning catch at short third man
to dismiss Snell. By then the Gladiators had posted a very challenging total.