Lathwell and Grove pave way for Somerset win

Somerset eased their way into the fourth round of the C & G Trophy with a comfortable 50-run victory over minnows Cambridgeshire at March.

The win was set up thanks to significant contributions from Mark Lathwell with the bat and Jamie Grove, a late replacement for Richard Johnson, who took early wickets to put the home side on the defensive.

Lathwell recorded his first century for three years, finally out for 101 scored off 103 balls. He steadied the ship after Somerset had stumbled to 69 for 4 in the 18th over, sharing in partnerships of 80 with Mike Burns (36) and 78 with Rob Turner (46), to propel Somerset to 271 for 9 in their 50 overs.

Openers Piran Holloway and Peter Bowler had added 42 comfortably before Holloway was caught at slip off Ajaz Akhtar in the 11th over. Bowler and Ian Blackwell were then trapped lbw while Keith Parsons was run out by Ian Blanchett's direct throw.

Cambridgeshire got off to a poor start as Grove caused the batsmen all sorts of problems, claiming four of the five wickets to fall in the first 14 overs for 56.

Steffan Jones had trapped opener Nigel Gadsby lbw in the fifth over before Grove took over. He was aided by two excellent slip catches by Keith Dutch to remove Danny Wilson and Gary Freear, while the dangerous Robert Rollins was also the victim of a fine catch by Parsons.

The game looked over as a contest, but through the carnage opener Simon Kellett remained calm. He and skipper Akhtar added 121 in 23 overs for the sixth wicket before Dutch bowled the former Yorkshire player.

Akhtar soon followed, caught at square leg off Parsons for a well-made 78 that brought him the man-of-the-match award, but his departure signalled the end of Cambridgeshire's brave resistance as they were finally bowled out for 221 in the final over.