Somerset upset Deccan Chargers in a thriller

Alfonso Thomas (30) and James Hildreth (25) pulled off a sensational last-ball one-wicket win for Somerset against reigning IPL Champions and hosts Deccan Chargers in a pulsating Group A match of the Champions League Twenty20 tournament here today.

Chasing 154 to win, the English side was tottering at 99 for seven at one stage but Thomas and Hildreth snatched victory from the jaws of defeat by raising a superb 50-run stand for the eighth wicket.

Somerset required five runs from the last over, bowled by Scott Styris, and what followed was a heart-stopping drama. Styris bowled Hildreth in the first ball to break the partnership and dismissed Max Waller in the third ball.

Thomas dispatched a full toss for a four to level the scores, played a dot ball and smashed another boundary, an inside out shot, to seal a thrilling win for his team. Thomas' unbeaten knock came off just 17-balls and contained four boundaries and a six.

Earlier, VVS Laxman hit a crafty 46 at the top and Venu Gopal Rao sizzled with a fiery 22 down the order to guide Deccan Chargers to a competitive 153 for nine against Somerset in a Champions League Twenty20 match here today. Sent in to bat, the reigning IPL Champions suffered a middle-order collapse to squander a breezy start at Rajiv Gandhi International stadium.

Laxman played brilliantly for his 35-ball knock and helped himself with seven elegant fours. Coming at number seven, Rao played a crucial 12-ball cameo to help his team get past the 150-run mark.

Deccan looked headed for a massive score at one stage but wickets fell regularly and that put paid to their hopes. Rohit Sharma was the other notable batsman for Deccan with his contribution of 24 runs.

Ben Phillips took three wickets while Peter Trego and Alfonso Thomas took two wickets apiece for Somerset and were backed by some electric fielding by their teammates. Laxman came to open the innings with his skipper Adam Gilchrist and began in a brilliant fashion, hitting Charl Willoughby for two boundaries in the very first over.

The left-handed Gilchrist also chose Willoughby for some special treatment as he fetched 17 runs from his next over by hitting two fours and clearing the ropes once at mid-wicket.