Despite 3/36 from Timm van der Gugten, half-centuries by Corey Anderson (59) and James Hildreth (56*) helped Somerset to a 30-run victory over Glamorgan at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff in their floodlit match in the Vitality Blast .
Glamorgan, who included Joe Burns, won the toss after a twenty minutes delay because of rain, and with further showers forecasted it was no surprise that they opted to bowl first. Andrew Salter delivered the first over and was struck for successive fours by Steven Davies, before Johann Myburgh did the same to Craig Meschede. He then clipped Timm van der gugten’s first ball over the head of square-leg before scything the next ball to third man.
With the total on 39 Hogan made the breakthrough as Davies swatted a ball to Carlson running in from deep mid-wicket, and then three runs later Carlson took a second catch running in from square-leg as Myburgh again swatted van der Gugten. The Dutchman then struck again four balls later as Peter Trego edged a nasty rising delivery into Chris Cooke’s gloves.
44/3 saw James Hildreth and Tom Abell join forces and the pair took the score to 59 when the latter skied a pull against van der Gugten and was smartly caught by Cooke. Corey Anderson began with a firm on-drive for four before leg-glancing van der Gugten for four. He added further boundaries by under-edging Meschede to fine-leg and then pulling the next ball to wide mid-wicket.
Anderson then straight drove Salter for six to bring up the hundred before Hildreth straight drove Meschede for four. Anderson added another six lofting Salter over wide long-on before Hildreth reverse-pulled the spinner for four. Anderson then straight drove Wagg for six to complete a 25-ball fifty. He celebrated by pulling a full toss from Ingram for another six but Hogan and ended his merry spree as Carlson at wide long-on took his third steepling catch
156/5 saw Lewis Gregory join Hildreth who clipped Wagg to fine-leg for four and third man to reach his fifty from 31 balls. Gregory then swatted another straight six against Hogan before Somerset scampered some furious singles in the closing over as they ended on 190/5.
Aneurin Donald and Usman Khawaja began the run chase with the latter sweeping Max Waller for four but the sweeping removed Donald l.b.w. with the final ball of the over. His early departure brought Ingram to the crease and he began with a sumptuous off-drive for three. Khawaja then struck four successive balls from Gregory for a brace of fours before Ingram top-edged a pull against Craig Overton for another boundary as the high octane start was maintained.
Ingram greeted Roelof van der Merwe by driving him for successive straight sixes but next over he miscued a drive against Overton and was caught at mid-off. Burns joined Khawaja who clipped Gregory to fine-leg for a pair of fours but with the total on 74, the Australian advanced down the wicket to van der Merwe and was stumped.
Carlson joined Khawaja and ran a series of singles before Khawaja ramped Myburgh into the hands of van der Merwe at short fine-leg. 86/4 saw Cooke make his way to the middle to join Carlson who responded by clipping Jamie Overton over square-leg for six as the target became 88 off 42 balls. But next over Cooke drilled Waller to van der Merwe at long-on as Wagg joined Carlson who harpooned Jamie Overton for six over fine-leg. But next ball he swatted Overton to deep extra cover where Gregory completed the catch.
With 72 needed off 30 balls Salter joined Wagg who flayed Craig Overton to third man for a pair of fours before holing out at long-off as he tried to hit van der Merwe in the direction of the city centre. Meschede then plonked Jamie Overton over mid-wicket for six before being run out attempting a bye. Next over Salter perished at deep square-leg before Hogan and van der Gugten saw Glamorgan to 160/9 at the end of their 20 overs.