)}})
Somerset see off Worcestershire to go top
Somerset moved to the top of Metro Bank One Day Cup Group A with a comprehensive victory over Worcestershire Rapids at the Cooper Associates County Ground.
Lewis Goldsworthy led the way with 95 as Somerset secured a five-wicket win over the Rapids to move clear of their opponents in the standings.
The visitors were bowled out for 263 in 47.3 overs after losing the toss, Tom Taylor lifting a disappointing batting display with 73, off 65 balls, including seven fours and three sixes. Ben Green, on his return to the side after The Hundred duty, claimed three for 58.
In reply, Somerset reached 267 for five with 5.3 overs to spare, Goldsworthy hitting his runs off 108 deliveries, with nine fours and a six, while James Rew contributed 70 and Andy Umeed 44. Left-arm spinner Fateh Singh returned career-best List A figures of four for 52.
Worcestershire openers Ed Pollock and Gareth Roderick set about Somerset’s opening attack with gusto, taking the score to 55 in the eighth over before Pollock lofted a catch to deep square off Ned Leonard and departed for 30.
Roderick looked in good touch, moving to 35 off 41 balls but then carelessly helped a ball from Ogborne around the corner to be caught by Leonard at fine leg. At 68 for two in the 13th over, Worcestershire needed to rebuild.
Hopes that Jake Libby and Rob Jones could do the job ended with poor shots by both off Green, Jones, on 14, mistiming a catch to Leonard at mid-wicket and Libby, having progressed comfortably to 24, guiding a short ball straight to Goldsworthy at point.
Another soft dismissal saw Rehaan Edavalath offer a simple return catch to Jack Leach and at 117 for five the Rapids were in a hole. Ethan Brookes followed the pattern, having struck four fours, when he advanced down the pitch to Goldsworthy and lofted to Leach at mid-off.
The same over saw Singh, on four, dropped by Umeed at short extra cover. Singh profited to hit a six off Goldsworthy before being bowled for 14 making room to cut off-spinner Archie Vaughan’s third ball of the game.
Taylor cleared the ropes off Kasey Aldridge and Goldsworthy whilst Tom Hinley followed suit off successive short balls from Aldridge as the pair launched a spirited counter attack. Hinley’s 32 came off just 18 balls before he skyed Green to Ogborne a long-on.
Tommy Sturgess was run out in a mix-up over a second run with Taylor, who went to an impressive half-century off 53 balls before being last man out, caught by Ogborne off the bowling of Aldridge.
Somerset’s reply got off to the worst possible start when George Thomas was bowled leaving an superb inswinger from Taylor that clipped the stumps. However, Goldsworthy and Umeed soon settled in to put the outcome beyond much doubt.
They had added 96 for the second wicket in 18.4 overs when Umeed was caught at deep square for 44 attempting to slog-sweep Singh in his first over. Goldsworthy went to a 63-ball fifty soon afterwards, having struck six fours.
Rew hit two glorious drives through extra cover and then straight before Goldsworthy cleared the ropes at mid-wicket off Hinley to bring up a half-century partnership in ten overs.
Rew then smacked fours off three successive Hinley deliveries in the 31st over in reaching fifty off 43 balls. It was young wicketkeeper’s fourth half-century in seven Group A matches and contributed to the stand with Goldsworthy that reached three figures off 88 balls.
Rew fell to a catch at cover off Singh trying a reverse sweep and the bowler followed up by dismissing Goldsworthy, bowled by a full ball, and Sean Dickson, caught at slip, with successive deliveries in the 39th over.
However, by then Somerset only needed 45 and Vaughan’s rapid unbeaten 31 off 24 balls sealed a comfortable success.
