Somerset race to win in rain reduced game

Somerset cruised to victory by eight wickets after wet conditions before the start of play, and periodic showers through the afternoon, had delayed the start of this Norwich Union league match at The Oval.

The game could not get underway until 5.45pm and, as a consequence, it was reduced to ten overs a side. Surrey, having decided to bat first reshuffled their usual batting order to go for quick runs.

Mark Ramprakash, in such brilliant form after his knocks of 143 and 90 this week in the CricInfo Championship game, went one position up the order to open with Ian Ward, but with 22 on the board, 11 to each batsman, he was caught behind off Jason Grove in the fourth over.

The next over brought the dismissal of Adam Hollioake, bowled by Peter Trego and just three runs later on 34, the third wicket fell with Ian Jones, who eventually finished with three for 14 from his two overs, picking up his first as he bowled Mark Butcher for two.

Some free-hitting from Nadeem Shahid brought 19 quick runs with the help of three boundaries from only nine balls as Surrey progressed to 58, but Shahid was bowled by Jones and a run later the fifth wicket went with top scorer Ian Ward bowled for 22 from 23 balls.

Set a target of 69, Jamie Cox and the left-handed Ian Blackwell got Somerset off to a flying start. But Carl Greenidge, replacing Ed Giddins, took two wickets in three balls, bowling Cox for 22 and having Michael Burns caught at backward short leg for four. Somerset were 41 for two.

Blackwell, continuing to attack the Surrey bowling went for the boundaries. He reached 20 with a four to mid-wicket, then to 26 with another four, to long off and to 32 with a lofted shot to square leg. He was on 33 from just eighteen balls, six of which were hit to the boundary, when Keith Dutch pushed the match-winning single to mid-wicket with as many as 3.3 overs remaining. It was all so easy for Somerset.