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Somerset pull off incredible comeback

Roelof van der Merwe plays the innings of his life as Somerset chase down 291 having been 5-22

Somerset have pulled off one the greatest one-day cricket comebacks, stunning Surrey in their English domestic 50-over clash overnight.

The hosts were in all sorts of trouble when they slumped to 5-22 in pursuit of 291 for victory, losing five wickets inside the first seven overs of the run chase.

But an extraordinary innings from Dutch international and former South Africa player Roelof van der Merwe somehow steered his side to victory with more than six overs to spare.

The allrounder hammered an unbeaten 165 from just 122 balls, sharing a 213-run stand with Proteas batsman Dean Elgar (68 from 90 balls) for the sixth wicket.

Van der Merwe brought up his half-century from 44 balls and reached his maiden List A ton from just 77 deliveries before he finished the job, hitting 102 runs in boundaries.

Image Id: 2DCFD5964B374C9680A425072BDD2645 Image Caption: Van der Merwe hit 24 fours and a six in all // Getty

 "When I walked out to bat I thought that we would be home by 4pm, so it was just one of those where you got in and it was hard to get out on that wicket," the 32-year-old said.

"I don't think that I have ever played better, especially at Somerset on my home ground so it was awesome.

"At 22 for 5 we were basically dead and buried and you had that freedom just to go out there and bat and suddenly we needed a run a ball with not too many left so we could just bat and keep the ball on the floor."

Van der Merwe's amazing knock came against one of the top-rated bowling attacks in English county cricket; former England quick Jade Dernbach and recent ODI squad member Tom Curran led the way with Test spinner Gareth Batty and speedster Stuart Meaker offering support.

Surrey had earlier been boosted by a 65-ball innings of 92 from keeper-batsman Ben Foakes while Sri Lankan veteran Kumar Sangakarra made 32 in their total of 8-290.

Image Id: 47225253EDC646AE9292A92B68DEFE03 Image Caption: Van der Merwe and Elgar put on 213 in 30 overs // Getty

In Manchester, Aussie left-hander Mark Cosgrove played a starring role for Leicestershire as the Foxes reeled in a revised Duckworth-Lewis target of 309 to beat Lancashire by three wickets in a thrilling one-day clash at Old Trafford.

A trio of half-centuries from Cosgrove, Cameron Delport and Mark Pettini proved vital for the Foxes against a Lightning side that included England Test duo Jimmy Anderson and Haseeb Hameed.

Cosgrove was Leicestershire's standout with the bat, top scoring with 67. He had a running battle with a fired up Anderson, but the Australian struck the ball cleanly.

Hameed hit a composed 88 on his senior limited overs debut as Lancashire looked well placed with a total of 8-314.

The Foxes fell from 101 without loss to 3-137 in the 26th over, but Cosgrove and Ned Eckersley (39) shared a brutal fourth-wicket stand of 89 in 12 overs.

They made sure their side was ahead of the Duckworth-Lewis method par score when rain took the players off at 8.20pm with the score at 3-218 in the 37th. The target was then revised to 309 off 49 overs.

The left-hander was one of the three quick wickets to fall, but his departure did not prove costly as an unbeaten 32 from Tom Wells saw the visitors through with four balls remaining.

The English domestic one-day competition got underway on Thursday, and Aussie Michael Klinger begun his sixth county stint in style, posting 78 for Gloucestershire in his first match this season.

Image Id: 85471C2CA02D4E339261D018F1C83F9F Image Caption: Aussie veteran Klinger led the way for Gloucestershire // Getty

The Western Australia batsman crashed nine fours and a six in his 84-ball knock but couldn’t stop Glamorgan, thanks to a century from ex-South Africa batsman Jacques Rudolph, from starting their one-day campaign with an 18-run win on the Duckworth-Lewis method.

A showdown between Bushrangers quicks John Hastings and James Pattinson was scrapped with the latter being rested for Nottinghamshire’s clash with Worcestershire.

Hastings went wicketless for Worcestershire as Michael Lumb cracked 104, but it wasn’t enough as the hosts took 169 off just 20 overs to win by five wickets on the D/L method.

Former Test batsman Adam Voges hit 40 as Middlesex racked up 5-341 before Sussex’s reply was cut short by rain, with the match abandoned.

And at Canterbury, Victoria allrounder Ian Holland made his county debut for Hampshire, the dual English-Australian passport holder taking 2-57 off his 10 overs.

He wasn’t required with the bat, as the visitors chased down 258 with 29 balls to spare thanks to an unbeaten century from Tom Alsop.