De Bruyn shines again for Somerset

Zander de Bruyn continued his superb form in limited-overs cricket with another half-century against Warwickshire

Zander de Bruyn produced another fine display of batting as Somerset recorded an impressive five-wicket win over Warwickshire at Taunton, their second successive victory in the Twenty20 Cup.

De Bruyn hit a majestic 72 from 44 balls, while James Hildreth added 39 from 26 as the Sabres reached their target of 188 with two balls to spare.

After being put in to bat, Warwickshire lost Neil Carter in the second over, magnificently stumped by Craig Kieswetter off a wide from Peter Trego.

Jonathan Trott and Jim Troughton added 80 for the second wicket in just seven overs, before Trott, who smote four sixes in his cameo innings of 42 off 24 balls, was caught at long-on by Max Waller.

The introduction of leg-spinner Waller into the attack brought immediate reward as he had Troughton stumped by Kieswetter one ball after the batsman had brought up his half-century.

Waller dropped his next delivery short and new batsman Chris Woakes lofted it to deep midwicket, where Hildreth took an easy catch.

With the Bears 104 for five, Ant Botha joined skipper Ian Westwood and the pair remained together until the end of the innings, putting on 83 in nine overs to see the total to 187.

Westwood finished unbeaten on 49 while Botha was 35 not out.

Chasing down what was always a challenging total, opener Kieswetter was dropped by Keith Barker at third man in the first over.

However, two balls later Kieswetter was run out at the non-striker’s end as Carter palmed a straight drive from Marcus Trescothick on to the stumps while fielding off his own bowling.

Trescothick looked to be at his imperious best and had moved on to 21 when he was bowled by Barker.

Hildreth was joined by de Bruyn, and the duo brought the 100 up in the 11th over when the former hit Jeetan Patel to midwicket for two.

However, Hildreth was bowled for 39 off the first ball of the next over, having added 66 with de Bruyn in eight overs.

De Bruyn recorded his seventh half-century in eight one-day innings for Somerset this season, before skipper Justin Langer helped take the score past 150 in the 16th over.

Barker had de Bruyn caught at deep midwicket next ball, having struck seven fours and two sixes.

Trego holed out to long-on in the penultimate over with 10 needed, but Arul Suppiah remained calm and struck two boundaries to see Somerset home. Langer remained unbeaten on 29.