Somerset thrash Glamorgan

LONDON: Surrey-bound Jamie Overton marked what could prove his farewell appearance for Somerset at Taunton with five for 48 to complete a 289-run Bob Willis Trophy victory over Glamorgan.

Brother Craig finished with two for 31 and match figures of seven for 69 as the visitors’ five remaining wickets fell for 40 runs in 70 minutes on the final morning after they had resumed on 126 for five, 329 behind.

Chris Cooke’s battling innings took him from 67 not out overnight to 82 before Jamie Overton had the Glamorgan captain caught at first slip by James Hildreth, having faced 138 balls and hit 10 fours.

But it was too little too late to save his side from a comprehensive defeat in a game they had bossed for the first two sessions. Somerset took 21 points to Glamorgan’s three.Overcast conditions and a pitch that was still responsive to quality pace bowling conspired against the visitors as the Overton twins set about finishing their opponents off.

The first wicket fell after 15 minutes when Graham Wagg chased a short, wide ball from Jamie Overton and edged a catch to wicketkeeper Steven Davies.What little hope Glamorgan had left disappeared when the same bowler, operating from the River End, produced a fine delivery to end Cooke’s stubborn resistance.

At 153 for seven, Ruaidhri Smith walked out with a runner for the second time in the game, determined to contribute despite the hamstring injury he suffered while bowling in Somerset’s first innings.But he could make only three before getting a leading edge to Josh Davey, who had replaced Craig Overton, and lobbing a simple catch to Roelof Van Der Merwe at midwicket.

Jamie Overton, whose decision to reject a new Somerset contract and sign for Surrey was announced before the game, produced some fine deliveries in a hugely impressive spell of 6.2 overs, which yielded three for 16.

He claimed his fifth wicket of the innings with a perfect swinging yorker, which defeated Kieran Bull’s attempt to clamp down on the ball and sent his off stump flying.Jamie Overton even had a hand, literally, is finishing the match, diving to his left to hold a slip chance offered by Michael Hogan off Jack Brooks.