Steffan Jones hit Somerset's winning runs (Getty Images)

Somerset got their pre-season tour off to a flying start by beating Essex in the Pro-Arch Trophy in Abu Dhabi.

Having won the toss, Essex were 278 all out from their 50 overs, Ravi Bopara top-scoring with 91. Mark Turner led the Somerset bowling, returning 3-33.

But Carl Gazzard hit 58 off 61 balls to get Somerset's reply off to a good start, and James Hildreth's unbeaten 98 saw them home with eight balls left.

The Cidermen are next in action against the United Arab Emirates on Saturday.

Hildreth's innings was the pick of the Somerset batting, reaching his half century off 51 balls and going on to hit 10 fours and two sixes.

And it was Hildreth's unbeaten seventh wicket partnership of 65 with Steffan Jones that took Somerset to victory, the Welshman hitting the winning runs by striking successive cover boundaries off Ryan ten Doeschate.