ON Sunday, Somerset opened their Royal London One Day Cup campaign with a thrilling one-wicket victory over their old rivals Gloucestershire in front of a crowd of nearly 5000 people at the Cooper Associates County Ground.

After being put in to bat, Gloucestershire looked to be heading for a score of 300-plus but a solid all-round bowling performanc, combined backed up by an excellent fielding performance reined them back to 260 all out.

Chris Dent hit exactly 100 in holders total in addition to which Jack Taylor made 43 and Benny Howell 35.

The pick of the home bowlers was Roelof van der Merwe who was involved in seven of the dismissals, 3-51, with his left-arm spin, three catches and a run-out, wherever the ball went he seemed to be there.

Van der Merwe was well supported by all of the Somerset attack, including Jamie Overton who took 2-54.

When Somerset replied after losing, Adam Hose and Pete Trego early on, opener Johann Myburgh and Jim Allenby added 64 together before the captain was out for 29.

Myburgh was then joined by James Hildreth (48) and the fourth-wicket pairing took the total on to 166 when Myburgh went for 81 off 92 balls.

Somerset wickets then tumbled, six went for the addition of 32 runs and suddenly from looking to be coasting to victory they found themselves 198-9 staring defeat in the face.

The last-wicket pair Jamie Overton (40no) and Groenewald (34no) had other ideas.

The pair shared six 4s and three 6s, surviving just one major run-out scare when wicketkeeper Gareth Roderick failed to gather a throw, before clinching victory with three balls to spare.