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Abu Dhabi: Somerset's preparations for the new season continued in fine fashion as they notched up their second win to stay in contention for the Pro Arch Trophy being played here at the Zayed International Cricket Stadium.
Somerset beat the UAE by six wickets here on Saturday night and have four points from two games while Lancashire and Essex have completed their four games and have six and four points respectively.
Yorkshire have won their only game and will take on Somerset today in what will be a decisive game.
Early blows
For UAE it was their third successive defeat. Five English county teams and the UAE are involved in this Pro Arch event with each team playing one opponent less (only four games) with the winners being decided on total points.
Electing to bat first the hosts never recovered from some early blows which reduced them to 32 for four.
However, former UAE skipper Khurram Khan brought in all his experience to wage a lobe battle and finish with 67.
Khan's knock contained seven boundaries and two sixes with Mark Turner picking up three wickets.
The Somerset side, who received news that their England star Marcus Trescothick will now be fully available for county cricket having called it a day at the international level, had a rather easy outing chasing the small target.
James Hildrith, who slammed an unbeaten 98 in their win against Essex, once again sparkled though briefly for 29 while the man who was opening in Trescothick's absence, Carl Gazzard also impressed.
Gazzard hit nine fours and smashed two consecutive sixes to finish off the match with an unbeaten 59.
Brief scores
Somerset beat UAE by 6 wickets
UAE: 138 all out in 38.5 overs (Khurram Khan 67, Mark Turner 3-26, Steffan Jones 2-12, Michael Munday 2-43)
Somerset: 139 for 4 in 31.2 overs (Carl Gazzard 59 n.o, James Hildreth 29, Saqib Ali 2-40)
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