ADAM Hose hit his maiden century for Somerset as the South Group leaders strengthened their position with a 81-run Royal London One-Day Cup win over arch-rivals Gloucestershire in a match reduced to 46 overs per side at Bristol.

The 24-year-old batsman finished unbeaten on 101, off 93 balls, with 6 fours and 2 sixes, as his side rattled up 294 for six on a dry pitch, having won the toss. Skipper Jim Allenby hit a patient 90, while Matt Taylor was the pick of the home attack, taking three for 48.

Needing 297 to win under Duckworth-Lewis, Gloucestershire could manage only 215 all out, Jack Taylor top-scoring with 68 and George Hankins making 33. Jamie Overton claimed three for 43 and Max Waller three for 37.

Somerset’s innings got off to a patchy start under overcast skies, with Johann Myburgh, Peter Trego and James Hildreth falling to poor shots, looking to attack from the outset.

Allenby wisely took time to gauge the pace of the pitch, taking 11 balls to get off the mark and reining himself back as wickets tumbled at the other end, Matt Taylor claiming two as the visitors slipped to 65 for three.

Two breaks for rain then saw eight overs of the match wiped out as Allenby and Hose quietly went about the task of rebuilding the innings.

Allenby batted with increasing assurance to reach his half-century off 79 balls, with 6 fours, and Hose compiled with equal care as the pair added 123 for the fourth wicket in 23.2 overs.

After Allenby fell, looking to increase the run rate after the second rain delay, Hose brough up his half-century off 70 balls and then went past his previous best score of 77 with a six over square-leg off Chris Liddle.

Roelof van der Merwe and Jamie Overton perished in the bid for quick end of innings runs, the latter blasting two mighty sixes in a 16-ball cameo that brought him 26 runs.

A couple of catehes went down as Gloucestershire felt the pressure and Hose, on 93 with two balls of the innings remaining, completed a mature ton by hitting Tom Smith over mid-wicket for six and then scampering two.

The home side made a poor start to their reply, Phil Mustard falling first ball to the opening delivery of the second over, sent down by Craig Overton. Chris Dent moved quickly to 18, but was then bowled by Overton, moving across to aim an extravagant scoop and showing all three stumps to the bowler.

Ian Cockbain offered a return catch to van der Merwe, who also posed problems for Michael Klinger before the Gloucestershire captain was caught behind for 26 off a slow bouncer from Jamie Overton, having struggled from ball one.

At 62 for four in the 16th over, the hosts faced a massive task. Jack Taylor showed typical belligerence to hit a four and two sixes off van der Merwe, whose first five overs had cost just eight runs.

Taylor breezed to a 40-ball half-century, but when he and the steady Hankins fell in quick succession after a fighting stand of 103 in 15.2 overs, Gloucestershire were a beaten side.

It was Somerset’s fifth win from six Royal London Cup matches and they looked well placed to reach the semi-finals as group winners. For Gloucestershire, the 2015 winners of the trophy, defeat ensured a second successive disappointing 50-over campaign.