Vaughan's maiden century puts seal on Somerset rout

Archie Vaughan's maiden List A century paved the way for Somerset to cruise into the knock-out stages of the Metro Bank One-Day Cup with a thumping eight-wicket Group B victory over Northamptonshire at the Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton.

The visitors posted a moderate 238 all out after winning the toss, Tim Robinson top-scoring with 69, while James Sales contributed 45 and Justin Broad 38. Kasey Aldridge claimed four for 54.

One run was added to the Somerset target because the game was 8.5 overs old when reduced to 47 per side by an early shower. It mattered little as the hosts raced to 240 for two to win with 4.3 overs to spare, Vaughan leading the way with an unbeaten 109, off 122 balls, and sharing a first wicket stand of 168 with Tom Lammonby, who made 83.

The Steelbacks were never able to gain much momentum to their innings on a good batting track. They had progressed to 31 in the seventh over when Ricardo Vasconcelos miscued a pull shot off Jake Ball and skyed a catch to wicketkeeper James Rew.

Rain interrupted play at 39 for one. The resumption saw Ravi Bopara depart for nine with the total on 50, pulling a delivery from Ben Green to deep mid-wicket where Fin Hill took a good catch diving to his left.

Robinson was dropped on ten by Ball at mid-on off Aldridge as he and opener Sales added 53 for the third wicket before the latter was run out by a direct hit from Archie Vaughan at the bowler's end, attempting a quick single to mid-on off Lammonby.

Robinson hit the first six of the game in moving to a half-century off 50 balls. He celebrated with two more maximums before perishing with the score on 163, Hill taking another catch at deep mid-wicket off Aldridge, tossing the ball in the air as his foot crossed the boundary before neatly collecting it again inside the rope.

It proved a turning point as the innings fell away, three of the wickets falling to Aldridge, with only Broad and Stuart van der Merwe, who made 27, offering much resistance. Both hit two fours and a six, but their efforts failed to significantly improve a well below par score.

There was decent pace in the pitch and Lammonby and Vaughan were soon peppering the ropes with sweetly-timed strokes. They raised 50 in eight overs, each smacking 5 fours, as the hosts went for a swift kill.

Lammonby has excelled with bat and ball in the competition. He reached fifty with a crunching back-foot shot through the leg side for four off Bopara, his ninth boundary in facing 53 deliveries. The century partnership soon followed off 17.4 overs.

Vaughan looked equally comfortable in reaching his half-century off 60 balls, with six fours. The pattern continued in depressing fashion for the Steelbacks as the stand reached 150 in the 29th over. At 156, it became Somerset's highest ever List A opening partnership against Northamptonshire, beating the 155 put together by current club chief executive Jamie Cox and Marcus Trescothick at Northampton in 2001.

With 13 more runs added, Lammonby finally made an error, driving a diving return catch to van der Merwe, the sixth bowler called upon by the Steelbacks. He had faced 96 balls and extended his boundary count to 12.

With victory almost assured, Lewis Goldsworthy struck the first six of the innings. He fell for 26 to a catch at mid-wicket off Dominic Leech, but Vaughan went past his previous highest List A score of 95, made against Yorkshire this season, and reached three figures with a pulled four followed by a single off Leech.

The 19-year-old son of former England Ashes-winning captain Michael Vaughan celebrated with a clenched fist. He had faced 110 balls and hit 12 fours.