Blackwell leads Somerset with all-round show

Worcestershire's two-match winning start in the Benson & Hedges Cup was rudely interrupted by a buffeting from Somerset all-rounder Ian Blackwell.

The 22-year-old former Derbyshire player, now in his second season in the West Country, won his fist gold award with an innings of 64 from 74 balls as well as a wicket and a catch in a hard-fought victory by 20 runs.

The Blackwell barrage, which owed much to a missed chance when he had made 22, enabled Somerset to reach 179 and their seamers, led by Steffan Jones with two for 12, performed brilliantly to dismiss the hosts for 159.

Worcestershire would have been disappointed in letting the visitors off the hook. Andy Bichel's first ball hit Marcus Trescothick on the left thumb and though the England opener recovered to make 16, the innings was soon in disarray despite a useful 39 from skipper Jamie Cox.

Blackwell entered the fray at 64 for five and almost single-handedly set up Somerset's second win in the competition, but there was still a lot of work to do when Worcestershire chased a relatively modest target.

Inconsistent bounced helped Jones to remove Graeme Hick with one that lifted from a length and the main stroke-makers were polished off with the help of good catching, notably Keith Parsons' diving effort at backward point to account for Anurag Singh.

David Leatherdale survived to make 55, his second half-century of the week, and Worcestershire had some hope when Bichel contributed 31 to a stand of 52, but the challenge tapered out when Blackwell comfortably held a chance from Leatherdale at long off.