Somerset clinch runners-up spot

Abdur Rehman finished with match figures of 14 for 101 as Somerset clinched runners-up spot in Division One with victory over relegated Worcestershire by an innings and 148 runs at Taunton.

Rehman took 5 for 36 as the visitors stumbled to 152 all out in their second innings, Alexei Kervezee top-scoring with 76 and Peter Trego claiming his 50th first-class wicket of the season.

The hosts took 23 points to Worcestershire's two as their players guaranteed themselves a share in a £162,000 cheque for finishing second behind champions Warwickshire.

Somerset had batted on at the start of the day before declaring their first innings on 512 for 9, with a lead of 300. Nick Compton finished unbeaten on 155, just six short of 1,500 first-class runs. Compton, who faced 322 balls and hit 15 fours and a six, was left with a first-class average of 99.60 when the declaration came. Six more runs would have left him averaging 100.

Moeen Ali returned figures of 4 for 143, but by far the best Worcestershire bowler was Alan Richardson, who claimed his 500th first-class victim when pinning Alfonso Thomas lbw for 17, and finished with 4 for 100 from 41 overs.

A three-day finish always looked likely and Worcestershire lost two wickets in scoring 39 before lunch. Phil Hughes edged Trego to wicketkeeper Steve Snell and Daryl Mitchell was caught at slip off Rehman.

The Hughes wicket sparked wild celebrations among the fielders as they all mobbed Trego for whom it was a notable milestone in his career. The 31-year-old all-rounder had never threatened to take 50 wickets before, but has bowled more overs than ever for Somerset because of injuries this season.

After lunch there was a predictable procession of batsmen. Thomas trapped Neil Pinner leg before for 14 and Craig Overton struck in his first over as Marcus Trescothick took a sharp catch at second slip to send back Moeen for 24.

Rehman then produced perfectly pitched turning deliveries to bowl Aneesh Kapil and Brett D'Olivera, both pushing forward defensively, before Ben Cox fell to a brilliant catch at mid-wicket by Arul Suppiah as he pulled a short ball from Steve Kirby.

It was 129 for 8 when Chris Russell was snapped up at leg-slip by Trego off a Rehman arm-ball, having made only a single. Kervezee stood defiant, reaching his half-century off 64 balls with six fours, although he was steadily running out of partners as Nick Harrison played on to Thomas and departed for a duck.

Kervezee was the last wicket to fall, pouched at slip by Trescothick off Man-of-the-Match Rehman.