Betts and Penney lead Warwickshire to victory

Melvyn Betts produced his first match-winning performance for Warwickshire to lead them to a four-wicket Benson & Hedges Cup win over Somerset at Taunton.

The former Durham pace bowler deservedly collected the Gold Award for career-best limited overs figures of 4-22, having delivered his ten overs in one spell at the start of the match.

Warwickshire won the toss on an overcast morning and soon Betts and Vasbert Drakes had the home side in dire straits at 44-5, bowling with zip and accuracy on a helpful pitch.

Keith Parsons then lifted Somerset fortunes with a fluent 72, off 100 balls, with six fours, but his only real support came from Richard Johnson (24)in a ninth-wicket stand of 47.

Marcus Trescothick had looked in tremendous form making 23 in the early overs. But once the England opener fell to Betts, Somerset were always struggling and their total of 174 all out looked modest.

Warwickshire found batting equally testing and Steffan Jones dismissed Mark Wagh, Nick Knight and Dougie Brown with only 25 on the board. Like Betts, Jones bowled unchanged for figures of 3-38.

Jason Kerr also bowled well for 1-23 from his ten overs, but Trevor Penney came to his side's rescue, finding a durable partner in skipper Mike Powell as they added 70 for the fifth wicket.

Powell made 31, having been dropped by Parsons on 17. But it was Penney who saw Warwickshire home with five balls to spare, scoring an unbeaten 73 off 127 balls, with six fours.