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    Rain thwarts opportunity of victory at Taunton

    1 June 2018

    A third abandonment in a row in the Royal London Cup snatched what looked an excellent chance of a derby win over local rivals Somerset in the South Group at Taunton.

    A double wicket maiden by Benny Howell and the run out of James Hildreth dramatically changed the course of the Somerset innings after Hildreth and Peter Trego had put together a century stand for the third wicket.

    Howell trapped Trego lbw for a belligerent 74 and then bowled Matt Renshaw for a duck before skipper Chris Dent made the most of a poor call by Tom Banton to run out Hildreth for 33 when he looked well set. 145-2 had become 149-5 and the momentum shift was palpably's Gloucestershire's way.

    In the end, Somerset lost their last eight wickets for 67 runs in 19.5 overs as the Gloucestershire bowlers collectively tightened their grip on the match to dismiss their local rivals for 211. Banton later ran himself out after another poor call, and Miles returned to pick up the last two wickets to finish with 3-31 as Somerset left 9.5 overs of their innings unused.

    Gloucestershire's reply began in deteriorating light, and they had reached 39-0 from six overs when the rain arrived. Umpires Debenham and Illingworth abandoned play an hour later with puddles littering the outfield, and the match - agonisingly from a Gloucestershire point of view - only four overs short of a positive result.

    Watch head coach Richard Dawson's reaction here:

    Gloucestershire named the same side that took the field in the last match with any play at the Kia Oval against Surrey and for the first time in the competition this season Chris Dent won the toss. With rain forecast for later in the day it was no surprise that he asked Somerset to bat, although for the first 20 overs a substantial run chase looked on the cards.

    Gloucestershire broke through early, Ryan Higgins removing Johan Myburgh with the third ball of the match thanks to Ian Cockbain diving forward to take a low catch at point. That brought in Peter Trego, and the long serving all rounder soon clipped Higgins over the short square leg boundary for six and followed it up with a straight driven four.

    The left handed Steve Davies had also despatched Matt Taylor into the stands on the leg side before some neat footwork from brother Jack saw him carefully complete a catch on the boundary in Craig Miles' first over to send back Davies for 18. Somerset had sprinted to 43-2, and for the next 14 overs Trego and Hildreth appeared to build the platform a big score.

    Chris Dent rotated his bowlers without stemming the flow of runs, Trego pulling Higgins to mid wicket and Liddle over square leg for further sixes. His half century took only 41 balls, and as he continued to chance his arm, two further blows on the leg side just evaded Hankins at mid wicket.

    With Hildreth carefully accumulating at the other end, a paddle sweep by Trego off Smith brought up the century stand before a switch of ends for Benny Howell brought the pivotal over in the Somserset innings.

    First aggressor Trego was lbw for 74, and then Australian left hander Matt Renhsaw was bowled to further check Somerset's charge. When Tom Banton called Hildreth for a single in Howell's next over, Chris Dent's throw to the wicket keeper's end found him well short, and his departure for 33 signalled a steady subsidence of the Somerset innings.

    From 161-5, Gregory edged the returning Liddle to Roderick for 19, and Banton - having been involved in two run outs - pushed a gentle catch to Dent at extra cover. Ian Cockbain's direct hit at the bowler's end accounted for Ben Green and Somerset's attempts to bat through their 50 overs were ended by Miles, who mopped up the innings with the wickets of Jamie Overton and van Meekeren.

    Studying various weather radars before play, rain was predicted from mid afternoon, so Gloucestershire began their pursuit of 212 aware that DLS might come into play.

    Skipper Dent had already struck four boundaries and partner Hankins one when, at 39-0 after 6 overs, the umpires took the players off. They were never to return, giving Gloucestershire a single point from a third successive game, but in this case one in which they - frustratingly - were were well on top.

    　

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