Century from Dent not enough as Somerset win by 1 wicket
5 June 2016
Jamie Overton and Tim Groenewald produced an unbroken last-wicket stand of 65 as Somerset pulled off a one-wicket Royal London Cup win over arch-rivals Gloucestershire at Taunton.
Chris Dent hit exactly 100 in holders Gloucestershire’s total of 260 all out. Jack Taylor made 43 and Benny Howell 35, while Roelof van der Merwe was involved in seven of the dismissals, three with his left-arm spin, three catches and a run-out.
Somerset looked to be cruising at 166 for three in reply, Johann Myburgh leading the way with 81. But his dismissal brought a dramatic collapse to 198 for nine, with only James Hildreth (48) of the other batsmen making an impression.
It looked all over, but Overton (40 not out) and Groenewald (34 not out) had other ideas. The pair shared 6 fours and 3 sixes, surviving just one major run-out scare when wicketkeeper Gareth Roderick failed to gather a throw, before clinching victory with three balls to spare.
Somerset had chosen to field, Craig Overton struck a major early blow with an outswinger that clipped the top of Michael Klinger’s off stump in the sixth over.
It was 51 for two when Roderick cut Lewis Gregory and was caught by van der Merwe, two-handed diving to his left at cover. After ten overs Gloucestershire had progressed to 54 for two.
Dent reached his half-century off 55 balls, with nine sweetly struck boundaries. Hamish Marshall helped take the total to 94 before he was bowled by Peter Trego’s second delivery of the game.
The next ball saw Ian Cockbain play into the covers where van der Merwe dived and initially fumbled, but then recovered to effect a run-out, hitting the stumps at the bowlers’ end with a throw while still on the ground.
Howell hit the first six of the game over long-on off van der Merwe before Dent reached a hundred off 107 balls, having extended his boundary count to 16.
Without adding, the left-hander tried to drive Tim Groenewald and only succeeded in giving another catch to van der Merwe. At that stage it was 165 for five.
Howell and Jack Taylor batted sensibly to bring to take the score to 207 with ten overs left. But Howell then advanced to van der Merwe and feathered a catch to wicketkeeper Alex Barrow.
Smith departed to a slog-sweep off van der Merwe and Gloucestershire’s last hope of reaching 300 disappeared when Taylor drove a wide ball from Jamie Overton to cover where van der Merwe took his best catch, low to his left.
The hosts’ reply started badly as Adam Hose nicked a high catch to Klinger at slip off Matt Taylor and Peter Trego fell to a brilliant one-handed catch by Howell at short cover off Payne.
Jim Allenby and Myburgh took the score to 79 before Allenby, on 29, launched an irresponsible swing at Howell and was bowled.
Myburgh reached his half-century off 63 balls, with 7 fours, and had progressed to 81 when losing concentration and lofting Dent’s left-arm spin straight to Howell at long-off with 95 still needed.
Lewis Gregory ran himself out attempting a single to short cover and when Hildreth got a leading edge to be caught and bowled by Smith, having looked untroubled, Somerset were in a hole at 181 for six.
Another irresponsible swing by van der Merwe saw him bowled by Smith and five wickets had fallen for just 21 runs when Craig Overton was bowled by Howell.
Payne produced a good one to bowl Alex Barrow and it seemed Gloucestershire could celebrate. But Jamie Overton and Groenewald showed great shot selection to reduce the deficit before Overton drove Miles for the winning boundary in the final over of a riveting match.
Gloucestershire skipper Michael Klinger said: “You have to give the two Somerset guys at the end great credit.
“We didn’t quite get the ball in the right areas and missed a couple of chances in the latter stages of the innings, which was disappointing.
“It will take more of a group effort if we are to win games in this competition. Chris Dent and Jack Taylor carried the batting and 260 always looked 20 or 30 short. That is something we need to look at."
