Royal London One-Day Cup South Group

Essex 313 beat Somerset 273 by 40 runs

SOMERSET lost their second successive Royal London One-Day Cup South Group match as a testing chase proved beyond them under the lights in Chelmsford.

Varun Chopra's imperious 160 helped Essex to 313 all out and, though several Somerset batsmen made starts, none could kick on and play the match-winning knock as the visitors fell 40 runs short.

Peter Trego, again standing in as captain for the injured Tom Abell, won the toss and chose to field.

The Overton twins took the new ball and, while Jamie wasn't at his best initially as he continues his return from a lengthy lay-off, Craig took two early wickets as Adam Wheater (12) chipped to Roelof van der Merwe at cover and Tim Westley (4) fell lbw.

Essex's run rate remained strong despite the double breakthrough, with Varun Chopra striking several early boundaries, and it took Trego bringing himself on to inspire the next wicket as Dan Lawrence (6) provided James Hildreth with a simple catch to leave Essex 70-3.

Somerset had to wait a further 27 overs for the next breakthrough, with Chopra completing a fine century and Ravi Bopara adding 73, but the latter was eventually caught behind off Tim Groenewald.

Ryan ten Doeschate fired 23 from 15 balls before holing out to Jamie Overton on the mid-wicket boundary off Trego (2-54), and wickets fell swiftly thereafter.

Jamie Overton, who tightened up at the death to finish with 1-62 from 10 overs, returned to pick up his first wicket of the season as Ashar Zaidi was caught at long-on by Matt Renshaw and Groenewald (3-43) then removed Simon Harmer and Neil Wagner with successive deliveries.

Chopra's superb knock ended in the final over as he was caught by Groenewald from the bowling of van der Merwe (1-58) for 160, and the final wicket came with the very next ball as Sam Cook was run out by a Max Waller direct hit from deep mid-wicket.

Chasing 314 for victory, Somerset's cause was not helped as both openers fell to Neil Wagner within the first five overs of the reply.

Peter Trego and James Hildreth rebuilt, adding 69 runs for the third wicket before a spell of three wickets in 17 balls gave Somerset a mountain to climb.

The in-form Hildreth was first to go, chipping to cover on 24, with Trego then trapped caught and bowled for 50 and Matt Rensaw (5) adjudged lbw while sweeping - a questionable decision which did not go down well with the batsman.

Suddenly the visitors were 102-5 and it was left to Tom Banton and Roleof van der Merwe to repair the damage.

They did for a time, with Banton dominating the strike and playing some nice shots on his way to 40, his highest List A score for Somerset.

His innings ended when Shane Snater held on to his second return catch of the day, and Craig Overton (12) then chipped Wagner to Simon Harmer at mid-wicket.

Van der Merwe was going well, building on a steady start to reach his half-century with a six, but the game was all but up when, on 61, he flicked to Tom Westley at deep square-leg to provide Snater with his fourth wicket.

Jamie Overton and Tim Groenewald gave Somerset a glimmer of hope with some trademark lusty blows, but Overton fell on 23 to a good catch at long-off as he targeted another maximum.

Snater returned to finish the match, completing his five-fer in the process, as Groenewald - who struck two huge sixes in his 24 - was well caught by a backpedalling Sam Cook as Somerset were all out for 273 in 48.1 overs.

Next up for Somerset is the visit of Middlesex to Taunton on Sunday (11am).