Somerset remain anchored to the bottom of the Midlands/West/Wales table after making an abysmal fist of their huge run-chase at Taunton.

Jamie Cox's side will have to dig far deeper for their first win, falling a mammoth 145 runs short of a dominant Northants led by Mike Hussey and David Sales.

Off-spinner Graeme Swann took four wickets as Somerset collapsed.

The visitors, for their part, recorded their second win and stand an excellent chance of progressing to the quarter-finals.

Somerset could last only 34.1 overs, with wicketkeeper Rob Turner top-scoring with 33 in a run-chase that was in bother from the start.

They were robbed of one player capable of scoring at the required rate when opener Cox was a third-ball casualty, caught behind off the bowling of Carl Greenidge.

Though Somerset stabilised somewhat to reach 54 for two, the loss of three wickets for four runs sealed their fate.

Greenidge took his second, while former Essex speedster Ricky Anderson took two in a fiery five-over spell that will have impressed his new club.

Anderson removed Ian Blackwell (eight) before trapping Peter Bowler in front for 21, reducing Somerset to 56 for four and returning figures of two for 21.

Turner was commendably defiant in his 50-ball innings, but Somerset were still a long way out of their depth on 146 for nine when he fell to Swann.

The spinner was responsible for three other wickets in the middle-order, ending up with the good figures of four for 29 from seven overs.

International ambitions

Hussey and Sales, both men with international ambitions, earlier took opportunities to impress.

Northants captain Hussey, who regained an Australian central contract this week, hit 87, with six fours and two sixes at the top of the order.

And Sales, tipped for an England call-up before snapping his cruciate ligament a year ago, bludgeoned 76 at better than a run a ball as the visitors racked up a formidable total.

Only spinner Blackwell could assert any control, taking three wickets for 46 in his 10 overs.

Sales came to the crease following Hussey's dismissal, caught in the deep off Blackwell having added 105 for the second wicket with Mal Loye, who also hit a half-century.

And, although three partners perished attempting to keep up with his pace, Sales saw a further 137 runs added.

He became one of two victims for Somerset's other spinner, Keith Dutch, late in the innings, caught by Simon Francis.

Dutch also had Tony Pemberthy stumped, but conceded 64 runs in his 10 overs, and Francis allowed 69 from eight.

Somerset: J Cox (Capt), M Burns, K A Parsons, I D Blackwell, P D Bowler, R J Turner (Wkt), K P Dutch, P D Trego, M P L Bulbeck, R L Johnson, S R G Francis.

Northamptonshire: M E K Hussey (Capt), G P Swann, M B Loye, D J G Sales, R J Warren, A L Penberthy, J W Cook, T M B Bailey (Wkt), R S G Anderson, D M Cousins, C G Greenidge.

Umpires: J W Holder and P Willey