Warwickshire beat Somerset by four wickets in Metrobank One-Day Cup opener in Taunton

Ed Barnard’s List-A best of 94 from the top of the order, and 38 from 17-year-old Hamza Shaikh all-but sealed Warwickshire victory as they eventually got over the line by four wickets with more than five overs to spare.

Lewis Goldsworthy and George Bartlett earlier both passed 70, but 230 was never going to be quite enough despite the best efforts of Jack Brooks (2-33) Curtis Campher (3-47) particularly.

Warwickshire skipper Will Rhodes won the toss and inserted Somerset who started poorly, George Thomas edging Ed Barnard to Rob Yates in the slips third ball, 0-1.

Having run himself out at Bovey Tracey against Devon on Sunday and fallen cheaply at Truro v Cornwall, Andy Umeed looks an increasingly frustrated figure-four off eight balls today won’t help. 12-2.

Goldsworthy’s last List-A match saw him score 111 against Warwickshire at Edgbaston last summer. He got lucky with eight of his first 12 runs being inside edges for four off Barnard towards the Colin Atkinson Pavilion, then a chip just half a foot over mid on earnt him his first boundary in front of square.

Rew got off the mark with a leading edge and played and missed at his next ball off Ollie-Hannon-Dalby too. He provided no other scoring shot, though two off 11 balls before OHD bowled him.

Dickson tucked his first ball away for four, OHD erring onto his pads with a full ball. His reponse was a rip-snorter-ball of the day so far.

38-3, definitely Warwickshire’s powerplay.

Dickson cut fine to Burgess behind off Garrett for 15, 64-4 bringing George Bartlett to the crease. He started with a glorious straight drive for four. Bartlett, who has nailed down the spare spot in Somerset’s Championship top six ahead of Goldsworthy (yet to get a Championship game yet this year), took some risky singles early on where both would have been out with a direct hit, but eventually got into some rhythm together.

They dominated the middle-overs, as Warwickshire bowled six different bowlers at the right-handed pair.

66 balls, four fours, one six for Bartlett’s 50, sedate by his standards, plenty more gears left to rattle through.

Goldsworthy provided a show for his onlooking brother’s stag-do party until he top-edged a sweep off Lintott to deep midwicket on 78.

160-4 bringing Somerset’s most experienced international cricketer to the crease. Curtis Campher fresh off his debut ton at Boscawen Park, Truro v Cornwall which I thoroughly enjoyed watching down there.

He made just five and fellow list-a debutant for Somerset Danny Lamb, on loan from Lancashire came to join Bartlett far earlier than coach Paul Tweddle would have wanted.

The ball after pulling for six, Bartlett top edged a pull to OHD at short fine leg off Miles to depart for 74.

Ned Leonard played a sumptious cover drive for four off his Bridgwater CC teammate Lintott, but lasted just three balls for his five.

The ball after there should have been a run out, Brooks was run out, another mix up, this time Barnard hit from backward point. 207-9 with still over six overs available if Somerset could survive long enough to use them.

Lamb ramped two boundaries on his way to 28*, but Bashir only managed seven before George Garrett earnt his second. 230 seemed well below par even despite the slow outfield and overcast conditions.

Barnard, given the chance to open in the past week, smashed 89 off just 42 balls (6 x 4s and 8 x 6s) before being caught on the boundary at Sutton Coldfield in one of their ‘bears road show’ games on tuesday after their warm-up match v Wales was abandoned without a ball being bowled. He took his chance today.

40-1 after the powerplay, Rob Yates the only scalp, caught behind off Brooks for 12.

Campher’s third over went .44wide2.1 as, like Leonard’s first three overs, Campher also went for over 20 off three at seven an over.

Brooks on the other hand did not go for a boundary until his seventh over-a scuffed off drive somehow inside edged through mid on by Rhodes. Seven overs on the trot for just 16 was plenty of impressive work from 39-year-old Brooks, Bashir was given the ball from the River End for the 16th set. 21 from his first two overs.

Barnard reached his 50 and the Warwickshire 100 in the 19th over, neither batter looking in any trouble, Somerset struggling to string any amount of dot balls together, the Bears cruising to victory…until…

Campher returned from the River End and Nelson (111) struck with his second ball back , Rhodes pulling straight to Bartlett on 38, bringing Michael Burgess to the crease as high up as number four. He was greeted with six no balls, Campher bumping four runs over wicketkeeper Rew’s head too.

He managed just three before Campher bowled him emphatically. 123-3.

Having frustratingly given the new batter one to long off, Goldsworthy listened to our comm box advice and brought mid off up and Ethan Brookes immediately fell for the trap, game back on at 126-4 on halfway.

17-year-old Hamza Shaikh at six was Warwickshire’s last specific batter, with quite a tail behind him. But Taunton has a history of giving players their personal-bests here. 25 his best from four List-A innings before today.

Leonard came back well but could not oust the youngster, who even swivel-pulled Campher high for six on his way to 38. Another pull shot brought his downfall though, top-edging Campher to a light-footed Brooks at fine leg just inside the rope in front of the Long Room. 198-5 surely too little too late with only 32 required for the away side?

Maybe not, another double-wicket strike as the roller coaster twisted again as Brooks had Barnard caught behind for 94 to unleash his inner Imran Tahir again. 202-6.

18-year-old Kai Smith attempted a reverse sweep then boshed Goldsworthy down the ground for four. Lintott off the mark by reverse-sweeping his left-arm-spin compatriot for four.

Brooks completing his 10 overs for 33 runs with two wickets taken.

Smith and Lintott got the job done off Leonard in the 44th over.