Thriller under lights ends in victory for Somerset
Published 11 September 2007
A remarkable innings of 115 from just 101 deliveries by Mark Ramprakash was not quite enough for Surrey, as yet another incredible final over thriller at the Brit Oval went in the Somerset Sabres’ favour.
Ramprakash enthralled just over 8,000 loyal fans at the Brit Oval with yet more batting magic but could not quite finish the game off for his side as Surrey lost in the final over by just five runs.
Marcus Trescothick was the star for the Somerset batting as his 124 from 101 deliveries at the top of the innings laid the foundations for a formidable score of 258 from 40 overs.
Surrey’s opening bowler Jade Dernbach got Surrey off to a great start by picking up two early wickets. The quick bowler has come into some good form with the ball of late and he transformed that into wickets with the new ball, by dismissing Craig Kieswetter and Justin Langer in his first spell. He then returned later in Somerset’s innings, to take three more wickets including the vital scalp of Trescothick, giving him career best figures of five for 44.
With Trescothick in fine form and being well supported by first Neil McKenzie and then Ian Blackwell, Somerset looked certain to post more than 300. However the return of Dernbach and some good bowling from Chris Jordan restricted their innings until Wes Durston scored a quick fire 31 to take the Sabres up to 258 from 40 overs.
Surrey started brightly through Scott Newman and James Benning with the pair taking their side up past 50 before the latter was bowled for a run-a-ball 24. He was follwed only five runs later by Newman as Somerset picked up the first of four run outs in the Surrey innings.
The loss of Newman brought Surrey’s two most experienced players together at the crease where they cruised the score up to 150. The old team mates were running brilliantly together, striking the ball perfectly and appeared set to take the home team to victory when an inexplicable mix-up left Butcher run out for 56.
With an opening, Somerset started to squeeze but with Ramprakash still at the crease, Surrey were in control. Even when Brown was run out, in another mix-up, the advantage was still with the Brown Caps. However two wickets fell in quick succession and Ramprakash suddenly found himself stranded at the wrong end.
He managed to get the strike back and go past his century but was at the non-striker’s end when his side went into the last over requiring 11 runs. Surrey’s number three regained the strike off the first ball, but with a killer blow by Somerset, he was run out, the fourth player to be dismissed in this fashion, coming back for a second.
From here it was always going to be difficult for the Brown Caps and this was confirmed when Stefan Jones delivered a dot ball to finish the innings as Surrey lost by five runs.
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