Parsons musters vital backbone

Somerset 245-7 v Glamorgan 118 Somerset win by 107 runs (revised target D/L 226 off 34 overs)

It is bizarre that while Somerset have proved unstoppable on their way to the C&G Trophy final, they have found life tough in the other two one-day competitions.

They entered this Norwich Union League match bottom-but-one in the First Division, with one win to date, but yesterday, having mustered their third-highest total of the season in this competition, they bowled out second-placed Glamorgan for their lowest 45-over total of the summer.

A belligerent 70 from Keith Parsons, a career best for him in this competition, had been the backbone of the Somerset innings, which was cut short by a torrential storm with nine balls remaining.

Time lost to the storm saw the target for Glamorgan recalculated to 226 runs off 34 overs, and it still proved too much for the Welsh side. Despite Robert Croft's aggressive start with a six in the first over off Simon Francis, they were rapidly reduced to a shambles.

Matthew Bulbeck claimed a career best 4 for 39 – all of the wickets coming in his first five overs; Simon Francis weighed in with a couple; then Michael Burns whipped out three more in the space of seven balls and it was as good as over, except for the highest partnership of the innings, 45, between the last-wicket pair of Michael Powell and Owen Parkin.

In contrast to the accuracy of Somerset's attack, the Glamorgan bowlers had proved obliging opponents by giving away 14 wides, thereby adding runs and more than two overs to the Somerset cause.

True, they did not have the services of England's newest recruit, the fast bowler Simon Jones, who was suffering from a side strain. He had an X-ray on Friday and is scheduled to have a scan tomorrow. "It is still sore," said Jones yesterday. "I want to play. It could heal up quickly. I am optimistic."

The display in the field by Glamorgan was more impressive. Dean Cosker took two fine catches, the second a brilliant effort that saw him dive forward at wide mid-on and hang on to a stinging drive to dismiss Rob Turner. Stand-in wicketkeeper Matthew Maynard also got Glamorgan off to a great start with a miraculous catch off opener Matthew Wood.

It needed Parsons to get things in perspective and he smacked the Glamorgan attack around, hitting two sixes in his 85 balls. Bulbeck also clubbed a pair of sixes in a defiant, unbeaten 24 off just 15 balls, before doing even more damage with the ball.