Gibson's power destroys Somerset

West Indies 230 and 386 Somerset 374 and 87 West Indies win by 155 runs

The West Indies' pain at losing Jimmy Adams, possibly for the remainder of the tour, was lessened by the explosive all-rounder Ottis Gibson yesterday, when he destroyed Somerset with both bat and ball.

News of Adams was encouraging. He was discharged from hospital and went straight to Bristol where Wes Hall, the team manager, will confine him to barracks. On Tuesday he will be examined by a specialist in Nottingham and will undergo an operation immediately.

A third first-class victory against a county looked remote when the tourists emerged on the final day just 132 runs in front and three wickets in hand. On their first visit in May they had managed only a draw, but Gibson was not playing in that match. He made all the difference.

A flat-batted six high into the Old Pavilion reminded spectators of his power as he cruised to 50 off 34 balls, but the best came in two devastating overs bowled by Jeremy Batty when the West Indies were down to their last wicket.

Gibson launched a rocket of a shot high straight over the bowler, the Old Pavilion and off the roof of a car parked behind. Two more followed in the same over, these were dispatched into St James's churchyard.Twenty came off that over.

There was another dose for Batty in his next over and the 18 runs Gibson crashed saw him reach his maiden first-class hundred - the second fastest of the season off 69 balls - which contained seven sixes and eight fours. Somerset's bowlers were as bruised as Adams by the end, although Andre van Troost finished with his first five-wicket haul of the summer, albeit at a cost of 120 runs. Poor Batty was also battered for a century and only the off spinner Harvey Trump emerged with credit.

The lead of 242 proved far too much for Somerset, who had achieved so much on the first two days. Gibson was unstoppable with the ball, ripping out the cream of the Somerset batsmen in a spell of 4 for 9 in 19 balls.

The leg spinner, Rajindra Dhanraj, clipped the Somerset tail, who chiefly insisted on trying to heave him over mid-wicket, only to be taken out in the off. It earned him figures of 3 for 2 in three overs.