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Abu Dhabi: English county team Yorkshire are the frontrunners to win the Arch Trophy after they comprehensively beat Somerset by 51 runs and knocked them out of the six-team tournament yesterday.
In the 50 overs a side day-night game played at the Shaikh Zayed Stadium here, Yorkshire after winning the toss and deciding to bat first, scored 264 runs for the loss of seven wickets off their allotted overs, with opener Andrew Gale top-scoring with 63 off 61 balls.
He hit 11 fours and 1 six. Anthony McGrath was the second-highest scorer for Yorkshire, scoring 53 off 64 balls, while all-rounder Adil Rashid scored 35 not out, holding one end steady when wickets fell in quick succession in pursuit of quick runs. Yorkshire's innings was built around a strong opening partnership of 97 runs between Gale and Joe Sayers, who scored 43.
Run out
For Somerset, captain Steffan Jones, was the most successful bowler, claiming 2 for 37 in his 10 overs of fast-medium bowling. Medium pacer M. Turner and off-break bowler, W. Durston were the other successful bowlers, with each taking two wickets, giving away 56 and 43 runs, respectively.
In reply, Somerset were bundled out for 213 runs, with 2.1 overs in the game remaining, handing victory to Yorkshire. Opener C. Kieswetter gave Somerset a blazing start with a run-a-ball 26, but was run out by Adam Lyth, just when he was looking good for a big score. Kieswetter's dismissal triggered a middle-order collapse, and despite former West Indian all-rounder, Omari Banks scoring 55 not out, off 75 balls, the late-order batsmen just couldn't prevent the inevitable.
Spinner Rashid kept run-scoring under a tight leash, bowling four maiden overs, when Somerset batsmen needed quick runs. He was the most successful Yorkshire bowler claiming 2 for 23 in his 10 overs. Former England fast bowler and Yorkshire captain, Darren Gough went wicketless, giving away 56 runs in his allotted 10 overs. Yorkshire's Gale was adjudged the man-of-the-match.
Now, Somerset and Lancashire each have 6 points in the points table, but Lancashire is ahead on net run-rate.
If Yorkshire win both their remaining two games, they win the tournament.
Besides Yorkshire, Somerset and Lancashire, the other teams that are playing in the tournament are: Sussex, Essex and the UAE national team.
At the end of the game, Gough told Gulf News he's happy with his boys' performance ahead of the 2008 English county season. "I am extremely pleased with today's result. Two out of two is not a bad result by any means."
Brief scores
Yorkshire 264 for 7 in 50 overs (Gale 63, McGrath 64, Sayers 43) vs Somerset 213 all out in 47.5 overs (Omari Banks 55 n.o., Kieswetter 26, Rashid 2/ 23, Dalby 2/28, Pyrah 2/29).
Yorkshire won by 51 runs.
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