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Somerset v Gloucestershire Gladiators
18/06/2010
Friends Provident t20 South Division
At Taunton
By Richard Latham
Gloucestershire's bowlers were unable to defend a total of 199-8 as Zander de Bruyn and Kieron Pollard blasted Somerset to a six-wicket victory.
The Gladiators produced an impressive batting effort after winning the toss and looked well in control of the game when Somerset slipped to 56-3 in reply.
But South African de Bruyn (95 not out) and West Indian Pollard (54) then launched the ball in all directions to put together a century stand in only seven overs.
The home side eventually won with an amazing seven balls to spare as the Gladiators bowlers lost some of their discipline under intense pressure.
Injuries that kept skipper Alex Gidman and Chris Taylor off the field during Somerset's reply didn't help and in the end it was a tough night for the visitors.
Gloucestershire were given a brisk start by openers Will Porterfield and James Franklin, who took the score to 26 in the fourth over before Franklin was unluckily caught behind down the leg side off Ben Phillips,
There was a moment of controversy in the fifth over when Alfonso Thomas claimed a caught and bowled chance offered by Porterfield, on 18, but the batsman declined to walk and the umpires ruled not out.
Porterfield added six more to his score before making room to try and hit a leg side delivery from Mark Turner through the off side and edging a catch to wicketkeeper Jos Buttler.
It was 61-2 after the six overs of power play and Gloucestershire’s fortunes received another boost when Taylor, on 20, was given a life by Buttler, who missed a leg side stumping off Murali Kartik.
Taylor was looking in good form when swinging across a straight delivery from Peter Trego and falling lbw for 29 in the 11th over, at which point Gloucestershire were 105-3.
Hamish Marshall also played well for his 45, which featured 5 fours and a six, until attempting to sweep a ball from Phillips and departing to a comfortable catch at short fine leg by Kartik.
By then the Gladiators were 131-4 in the 13th over, which also saw the demise of Jon Lewis, yorked by Phillips for a single.
Steve Snell kept the momentum going with some fine shots and Gidman, having demoted himself in the order, scored 13 before being bowled playing across the line to Thomas.
Snell really cut loose in the 19th over, hitting two sixes off Kieron Pollard as he moved to a thrilling half-century off just 25 balls.
It took a sensational catch to dismiss Snell, Trego diving full length to his left at short third man to hold the ball just before it touched the ground after the batsman had looked to cut Thomas.
The bowler ended the innings by yorking Steve Kirby with the last ball, but Gloucestershire could feel well satisfied with their batting effort.
Phillips finished with 3-33 and Thomas 3-41, but Somerset’s bowlers had lacked consistency and, Trego’s catch apart, the fielding was ordinary.
Marcus Trescothick signalled his side’s intent by cover-driving the first delivery of their reply from Anthony Ireland for four.
But Ireland soon took his revenge, safely pouching an easy catch offered by the former England opener to third man off the second ball of Jon Lewis’s opening over.
Soon both Somerset openers were back in the pavilion as, with the score on 28, Nick Compton followed the same route as Franklin in Gloucestershire’s innings, by being caught behind down the leg side off Kirby.
It was 50-2 at the end of Somerset’s six-overs of power play and the visitors strengthened their grip when James Hildreth tried to reverse sweep Vikram Banrejee only to be caught by Ireland at short third man.
Pollard then entered the fray to huge cheers from the home crowd and answered them with 2 sixes in an over off Banerjee, the second hit straight, clearing the Sir Ian Botham Stand and depositing the ball in the River Tone.
The next over from Kirby brought another Pollard six off a high full toss, the West Indian demonstrating his immense power by hitting the delivery over long-off.
The pressure told on Banerjee, who sent down three wides in conceding 21 runs off the 14th over, most of them to de Bruyn, who reached an elegant half-century off 29 balls and then smashed Ireland over mid-wicket for his third six.
Suddenly the South African was outscoring Pollard as he straight drove Ireland’s next delivery for four. Somerset were ahead of Gloucestershire’s score at the same stage for the first time.
When Pollard reached his fifty off 24 balls with a six off Ireland it also brought up the hundred partnership with de Bruyn.
Somerset were right on top when the West Indies star tried one big hit too many and was caught at deep mid-wicket off Franklin, having hit 5 sixes and 3 fours. The home side needed 38 off 28 balls to win.
Kirby produced a fine over for Gloucestershire, costing just three runs and 27 were needed off the final three. But Banerjee went for 14 while sending down two more wides and, with de Bruyn still there, Somerset were strong favourites.
The South African erased any lingering doubts by hitting Ireland for six and four off successive balls and was soon celebrating victory at the end of a tremendous match.
