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Run riot is not enough to save final bid

Glamorgan recorded their highest total in Twenty20 Cup cricket, but it was all in vain as their faint hopes of reaching the knockout stages were dashed by defeat in a West Country run-fest.

Robert Croft's side had needed nothing less than a victory in their final group game and then had to rely on other results if they were to have any chance of reaching the quarter-finals.

But as soon as Somerset racked up 219 for five on a typically good Taunton wicket Glamorgan were always going to struggle to nail 11 runs an over.

And. despite a brilliant 74 from 36 balls by David Hemp, who shared in a solid 84-run partnership with Brendon McCullum, the pressure got too intense in the final five overs.

In the end Glamorgan needed to make 26 from the final over, and though Alex Wharf managed 10 off the first three balls he was bowled by the fourth.

Glamorgan were left stranded on 206 for six - still 12 runs more than their previous best total in the competition - and their 20-over campaign in tatters. After winning the first three, Glamorgan lost the final four out of five.

And a bit like Argentina in the World Cup, they seemed to peak a little too early for their own good.

The signs were ominous from the moment Somerset, put into bat by Croft, started their innings.

The opening pair of Justin Langer and Matthew Wood cracked 96 in only 43 balls as Croft struggled to finds ways to stem the flow of runs.

Langer set the tone, helping to get Somerset to 48 from the first three overs. The opening four overs went for 12, 17, 19 and 14 respectively.

Ironically it was James Franklin, the villain of the piece against Gloucestershire the previous night, who bowled the most economic overs - his opening two going for 15.

Croft brought himself on in the over before the fielding restrictions were lifted and probably regretted it as Wood put him back over his head for a six and two fours.

Langer, who had pulled David Harrison for six in the second over, breezed to his half century off only 21 balls - 42 in boundaries.

Glamorgan, who had dropped Nicky Peng for Andrew Davies, finally got the breakthrough when Wood was neatly stumped by Mark Wallace from the first ball of the eighth over.

That only brought the imposing figure of Somerset skipper Cameron White to the middle after his record-breaking 141 from 70 balls against Worcestershire at New Road.

But White was happy to watch his compatriot Langer continue to rack up the runs which he did off Cosker and Croft.

White reverted to type, however, plundering four successive fours off Wharf, the fourth taking Somerset to 155 for one in the 13th over.

Glamorgan did well to drag Somerset back thanks to two quick wickets initiated by McCullum.

First McCullum helped to run out Langer coming back for a second and in the next over took a neat catch low down at cover off Cosker to remove White.

But some late bludgeon from Keith Parsons ensured Glamorgan would have to bat into unchartered waters.

There was no sign of Glamorgan being put off by the 11 runs an over ask as Richard Grant and Michael Powell, who shared in an opening stand of 41 in 22 balls, set about the new ball.

But there was something of a dent put in Glamorgan's fine progress when Andrew Caddick removed Grant and Powell in consecutive overs.

But McCullum, despite being dropped badly on 22, and Hemp did Glamorgan's hopes a massive boost putting on 84 in eight overs.

The third-wicket pair looked well set to take Glamorgan all the way until McCullum holed out to the long off boundary.

Hemp carried on regardless and clouted White's next ball for six to reach a 24-ball half century. He also dispatched Wes Durston for a big straight six to ease his side into a solid position at 167 for three, needing 53 from the final five overs.

But then White produced his two trump cards, Keith Parsons and Peter Trego, who had not bowled in the innings before. Parsons not only trapped Franklin leg before but the 16th over only produced five runs.

And the introduction of Trego further strengthened Somerset's grip on the contest as Hemp drove straight to long off. With that wicket went any realistic hopes Glamorgan had.

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