Middlesex win in a hurry

Tim Bloomfield wrecked Somerset Photo © AllSport

Somerset didn't hang around too long at Southgate this morning. Middlesex crushed them by 169 runs on their way to a place in the NatWest Trophy quarter-finals. The visitors were bowled out for 58 - perhaps an improvement after being once 9-4. Fast bowler Tim Bloomfield (4-17) did the main damage and was appropriately Man-of-the-Match.

Partnered by veteran Angus Fraser he ripped through the Somerset batting in dismissing Marcus Trescothick, Peter Bowler, Michael Burns and Ian Blackwell in a shattering opening burst. Bloomfield expressed his pleasure at being back in the county side after a month's absence.

"It was one of those days when everything went right for me, I felt I'd bowled beautifully today and got those lucky breaks when I needed them." As four visiting batsmen failed to trouble the scorers Keith Parsons (23), alone, made any real contribution to what was a meagre total.

The last five wickets collapsed for just seven runs as Aaron Laraman, who dismissed three batsmen for six runs in five overs, capitalised on the superiority his colleagues had achieved. Middlesex now have a quarter-final match with Hampshire.