Hero Spearman leads Gladiators to thrilling win

10:19am Monday 12th May 2008

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A HEROIC batting display by Craig Spearman led Gloucestershire Gladiators to a four-wicket victory in a captivating West Country derby at Bristol yesterday.

The New Zealander timed his innings perfectly to score 140 not out off 119 balls, and eclipsed former Australia star Justin Langer's one-day batting master class for Somerset earlier in the day to give the Gladiators the win with ten balls to spare.

Spearman dominated a seventh-wicket stand of 135 with wicket-keeper Steven Adshead (41 not out), as Gloucestershire pulled off a miracle victory after looking dead and buried at 159-6.

Langer's unbeaten 113 looked to be enough for Somerset Sabres as they posted a total of 290-6, which was also thanks to a brilliant seventh wicket stand.

The Sabres skipper and Peter Trego, who blasted a quick-fire 55, put on 113 in the last ten overs as Somerset themselves recovered from 101-4 and 177-6.

The Gladiators attack missed swing bowler Jon Lewis who was ruled out after pulling his groin in the warm-up, with Alex Gidman standing in as captain.

The result puts the Gladiators in a great position to qualify at the top of the South West division with three games left, and gave them a two-point gap ahead of their close rivals.

Gloucestershire won the toss, and after their successful run chase against Glamorgan two days earlier, decided to field first.

Ex-England international Marcus Trescothick continued his poor record at Bristol when he was caught by Steven Adshead off the bowling of Steve Kirby for 14.

In the 15th over Langer started to stamp his authority on the match. Firstly he punched a ball back over the head of young Tom Stayt for four to bring up the 50 partnership with opener Craig Kieswetter, and two balls later he hit a delightful square cut to the boundary.

As Somerset assumed control, Alex Gidman turned to Mark Hardinges and it did the trick.

He struck in his first over as Kieswetter looked to hit big over mid-on but was caught out by a slower ball, giving Gidman a simple catch.

North removed new batsmen James Hildreth three overs later, when the batsmen was caught leg before and Chris Taylor produced a magnificent one-handed catch at point to remove Ian Blackwell off Hardinges.

Somerset recovered through Zader De Bruyn and Langer, who led them to 173-4 before Hardinges made the breakthrough again when he came back into the attack as De Bruyn and was caught at deep square leg by David Brown.

In the next over Steven Adshead made a good catch to his right to dismiss John Durston for one off Kirby.

Trego and Langer dominated the final ten overs though as they punished some poor bowling at the death by Gloucestershire, scoring at a rate of 11 an over.

Thornbury's Anthony Ireland was told to come off by umpire Nigel Llong midway through the 46th over for bowling his second ball above waist height during the innings.

Langer reached his century in 111 balls when he punished a full toss by Mark Hardinges with a cover drive for his 11th four.

In the final over of the Somerset innings a wide by Kirby brought up the 100 partnership between Trego and Langer, and the next ball Trego hit the only six when he struck the ball over mid wicket to bring up his 50 in 35 balls.

In reply, Hamish Marshall was dropped by Ian Blackwell on the second ball at mid wicket but three balls later, he was out lbw off Alfonso Thomas.

From 9-1, Gidman (37) looked in good nick before North (14) was out caught at mid wicket by Hildreth from the bowling of Trego.

Charl Willoughby then shattered Gidman's stumps and when Steffan Jones came into the attack, he produced a spectacular ball to dislodge Chris Taylor's (17) off stump, leaving the Gladiators on 109-4.

An edge for four from Spearman off Jones brought up his fifty before the Welsh bowler struck twice in two balls, as Somerset became clear favourites. Firstly, Brown (20) was caught at cover by Hildreth, and then Hardinges was out lbw.

However, with a weak tail to come, Spearman stepped up a gear and reached his ton from 90 balls when he hit De Bruyn for four from off his legs, and a copycat shot two balls later brought the target down to 63 from ten overs.

The New Zealander continued to dominate the bowling, slapping De Bruyn for another boundary on the leg side, and Adshead's faint nick through the vacant slip cordon moments later brought up the century partnership.

A punch through the on-side for two runs by Spearman brought the scores level, before he smashed the winning runs through the covers.

Umpires: B Leadbeater, N J Llong Gloucestershire: Spearman, Brown, Marshall, North, Gidman, Taylor, Adshead, Hardinges, Stayt, Ireland, Kirby Somerset: Trescothick, Kieswetter, Langer, Hildreth, Blackwell, Trego, Durston, de Bruyn, Thomas, Jones, Willoughby