FRIENDS PROVIDENT t20, Taunton:
Somerset 204-5 (20 ovs) beat Middlesex 125 (17.4 ovs) by 79 runs
Match scorecard

Trescothick hit his highest T20 score of the season

Captain Marcus Trescothick led Somerset to a 79-run victory over Middlesex and third place in the FP t20 South Group.

The former England opener smashed 83, hitting four sixes and 11 fours in his 38-ball knock and was helped by 48 from James Hildreth in Somerset's 204-5.

Jackson Thompson's 32 gave Middlesex hope, but they lost their last nine wickets for 52 and were 125 all out.

Murali Kartik finished with 3-37, while Mark Turner and Kieron Pollard took two wickets each.

Somerset always looked lively in the field, and this was characterised by a brilliant running catch by Alfonso Thomas, racing in from long-on to dismiss Gareth Berg.

The South African made just two, as the last six Middlesex batsmen failed to make double figures as they slumped from 73-1 to 125 all out.

Earlier, Trescothick thrilled the 7,000-strong Taunton crowd, making up for lost time in a competition which had previously seen him average less than 18.

His first scoring shot was a six over extra cover off Tom Smith, and further maximums followed off Pedro Collins, Owais Shah and Smith for a second time.

After the early loss of Nick Compton, Trescothick and Hildreth added 108 in eight overs.

Somerset now have 14 points from 11 games and are still well positioned for a quarter-final place.

Captain Marcus Trescothick told BBC Somerset:
"That's probably our best performance in the competition - getting a good total on the board was pretty vital.

"We'd lost a couple of wickets and it could have easily tumbled away but chasing 200 is always hard work on any ground.

"Our bowlers were outstanding. We kept them down to the runs in the power play, then we kept on taking wickets."

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