Gloucestershire v Somerset at Lord's Sean Beynon - 29 August 1999 CricInfo report

Gloucestershire once again turned in a truly professional, workman-like performance when it was needed at Lord's yesterday to win the Natwest Trophy by 50 runs. A packed Lord's saw Somerset fall 50 runs short of a victory target of 231, which, if anything, seemed to favour Somerset at the start of their innings.

The final of the westcountry began under glorious sunshine at the home of cricket. The pitch looked immaculate, a case of win the toss and bat. Or so one would have thought.

Jamie Cox, Somerset's skipper, however, felt differently. He believed that Somerset could chase anything. How very wrong. Mark Alleyne seemed to be beaming when Cox announced his decision, Gloucester are awful chasers, surely this was playing the game into their hands?

Still no matter, for this was Lord's, a full house no less, settling back to enjoy a day's great cricket. Gloucestershire's openers, the seasoned Kim Barnett and Tim Hancock, a relative rookie, set about the attack with abandon. Andrew Caddick at one end was miserly, but Graham Rose and Paul Jarvis seemed nervous, and were punished.

Barnett, despite an outrageous stance a foot outside leg stump, impressed massively Hancock, on the other hand played at missed almost continuously against Caddick. The stand between the pair had reached 125 before Barnett was run-out, attempting a very quick and risky single.

The wheels then began to fall off, and the slide began. Gloucester lost Cunliffe for 3, caught behind attempting a wild drive. Alleyne and Hancock both went with the score on 161, Alleyne playing on and Hancock trapped in front, having made 74.

This was not one of his better innings, but it was a useful, potentially match winning one.

Gloucester continued to plod along, without able to move the scoring rate on. Graham Rose helping to peg Mark Alleyne's men back with a fantastic second spell.

Jack Russell, sent in up the order made a decent 31, but nobody else stood out, and a total of 230 seemed a little meagre.

The first few overs of the Somerset innings put that feeling into perspective, however. Aussie Ian Harvey had Bowler caught at the wicket, and Mike Smith, to the delight of both players and fans alike removed Tasmanian Jamie Cox leg before.

Lord's was jumping. Holloway and Burns attempted to launch a recovery, but batting had become difficult; cloud cover now hovered above MCC headquarters. Holloway became frustrated and edged Smith to Martyn Ball at slip, with Burns caught by the same man, a good low take, from the bowling of Mark Alleyne. When Marcus Tresocthick was dismissed thanks to a Jack Russell special in Alleyne's next over, Somerset were 52-5.

Keith Parsons and Rob Turner are not household names, but they began to do a sterling job to bring Somerset back in touch. Content to pick off the singles, the pair added 82 good runs. The run-rate required was well above six though, and when Turner was caught by Russell for 51, standing up to the medium pace of Alleyne, a double for Gloucestershire looked the probable outcome.

Graham Rose showed a little fight, but it really was a case of too little too late as wickets fell at the other end. Parsons was brilliantly stumped by the superlative Russell form the quick bowling of Mike Smith for 42. Soon Kerr was following him back to the famous old pavilion, run out from a leisurely direct hit by Mark Alleyne to the surprise of the Gloucestershire fielders and the delight of one in particular, Ian Harvey.

Caddick lasted just six balls, and Harvey picked up his third wicket when Graham Rose skied a catch to Matt Windows. Gloucestershire had won their second trophy in the season, and had yet again proved that they are one of the very best one day sides.