Published: Aug 01, 2014, 08:47 AM (IST)
Edited: Aug 01, 2014, 08:48 AM (IST)
Aug 1, 2014
Rain played a cruel trick over Somerset as they lost by mere two runs in a high-scoring match against Kent by Duckworth-Lewis method in the Royal One-Day Cup on Thursday. Kent posted 383 at the back of centuries from opener Sam Northeast and Sam Billings down the order. After a rain-interruption, Somerset were left to chase 374 in 48 overs but they fell two short of equaling the scores.
It was Somerset who won he toss and elected to field. Kent were off o a flier with Northeast and Daniel Bell-Drummond scoring at close to six-an over until the latter fell for 61. A middle-order collapse ensued with only one from No 3 to No 6 managed to get in to double figures. Northeast held the innings together beautifully. But the showstopper was Billings. he pair came together with the score on 166 for five. In just 87 minutes, Billings blasted the bowlers in all directions to score a stunning 135 in 58 balls. Northeast was finally dismissed for 132.
Billings though continued to hammer the bowlers despite lack of support from the lower order. Kent managed to post a mammoth 383 for seven in their fifty overs. The rains delayed proceedings and two overs had to be struck off from the second innings revising the target to 374. In response, a collective effort from the Somerset batsmen took the match down to the wire. Opener Nick Compton hit 56. At 268 for right, things looked tough for Somerset but Tim Groenewald and Alfonso Thomas stuck together to share an unbeaten 103-run stand but fell just short of the revised target.
A few days ago, Somerset were involved in another thriller with their match against Nottinghamshire.
Brief scores:
Kent 383 for 8 in 50 overs (Sam Nottheast 132, Sam Billings 135*; Jack Leach 3 for 53) beat Somerset 371 for 8 in 48 overs (Nick Compton 56, Alex Barrow 54; Doug Bollinger 3 for 77) by 2 runs via D/L method.
