DORSET 112 lost to SOMERSET 170-8 by 58 runs

DORSET were thumped by 58 runs in their T20 friendly with a star-studded Somerset side at North Perrott.

With Dorset limited overs captain Jigar Naik absent from the line-up, Luke Webb assumed captaincy duties and won the toss before asking the visitors to bat.

And Somerset made a superb start with former England ODI, Worcestershire and Surrey wicketkeeper Steven Davies racing to 19 from six balls, including two fours and a six, until he perished to Bradley Currie.

Currie bowled exceptionally on the night and was rewarded further when he bowled Peter Trego (11) to finish with figures of 2-24 from four overs.

Johann Myburgh pushed the score along in his innings of 30 from 26 balls but became the next batsman to fall as Dom Clutterbuck (2-43) helped reduce Somerset to 76-3.

Dorset continued to fight and tore through Somerset’s middle order as the impressive Josh Digby (2-19) picked up the prize scalp of big-hitting New Zealand international Corey Anderson (14).

Tom Robinson (1-11) bowled Lewis Gregory (1) before Digby returned to dismiss Tom Abell (2) as Somerset struggled to 108-6, Dorset having claimed three wickets for seven runs.

Clutterbuck came back into the attack and removed Roelof van der Merwe (5), while Mark Wolstenholme accounted for England Test star Dom Bess (2).

But the dangerous James Hildreth had scored runs freely despite seeing wickets fall around him and finished unbeaten on 63 from 43 balls, with five fours and a six, as Wolstenholme (1-60) came in for particular punishment.

In reply, Wolstenholme was the only Dorset top-order batsman to reach double figures as Ben Wells (4) and Webb (5) were dismissed by Jamie Overton (3-21) and van der Merwe (1-15) respectively.

Trego (1-13) ousted Wolstenholme (13) but Dorset rebuilt through Ed Ellis (26) and Alex Eckland (13) as the hosts reached 68-3.

However, Bess (1-5) claimed Ellis as his sole victim to spark a collapse as part-time bowler Abell (2-5) felled Eckland and Robinson (0) in successive balls to reduce the hosts to 70-6.

Scott Currie (10) and Chris Park (17) were the only other Dorset batsmen to make decent contributions as Max Waller (1-23), who had played for Dorset several times this season, wrapped up the innings and a sizeable 58-run victory, by removing Park.

Dorset’s next outing is at Banbury, away to Oxfordshire in the Unicorns Championship on Sunday (11am).

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