Somerset crash to heavy defeat

Kent 141 beat Somerset 82 by 59 runs
Scorecard

South Division winners Somerset were shot out for the lowest Twenty20 score in their history as Kent won their Friends Provident t20 clash by 59 runs at Taunton.

Replying to Kent's total of 141 all out, the home side could make only 82 as Simon Cook and James Tredwell took three wickets each on the normally batsmen-friendly square. Arul Suppiah top scored with 19 not out.

Joe Denly's 65 for the Spitfires was the game's only half-century, while Darren Stevens scored 39 and later took two for 23 from his four overs. Alfonso Thomas (three for 21) enhanced his position as the competition's leading wicket-taker.

Kent had already surrendered all hope of reaching the quarter-finals and, despite the shock result, Somerset stayed at the top of the table thanks to Essex losing to Middlesex. They will next face Northamptonshire in the quarter-finals at Taunton. Only Denly and Stevens could make any impression on the Somerset bowling after Kent won the toss. The next highest score was eight.

Denly was seventh man out, having done his best to anchor the innings, with nine fours in facing 56 balls, while Stevens provided the brightest batting, hitting a six and five fours in his breezy 26-ball knock. Only 32 runs came off the six power play overs and the end of the innings saw two run-outs and some fine death bowling from Thomas, who got his yorker going to good effect.

Somerset looked set to make light of their target when Marcus Trescothick took three fours off the opening over from Stevens but the last ball saw him carelessly flick a catch to deep mid-wicket. That set the tone for his side's worst batting display of a previously good campaign. Peter Trego also hit three fours in making 15 off 11 balls before being bowled by Stevens.

James Hildreth was run out in a mix-up with Craig Kieswetter, who adopted a watchful approach, but still could not play his way back into form. The England wicketkeeper-batsman was stumped driving at Cook for 15, made off 29 deliveries, with uncharacteristic restraint.

Cook removed Jos Buttler and Keiron Pollard, who received a rousing ovation on what could prove his last Somerset appearance. The West Indies player flies home for his domestic T20 tournament this week and will only return should the county reach finals day. Somerset's previous lowest 20-over score was 103.