Irish remain winless

Ireland remain without a win in the opening two games of the Friends Provident South Conference, losing by 128 runs against Somerset at Taunton.

Their post-World Cup hangover continued as they were hit for 341 in the first session. In-form captain Justin Langer smashed 132 during an innings featuring 16 fours. Opening partner, England batsman Marcus Trescothick, managed only 22 before being caught by Gary Wilson off Dave Langford-Smith.

It was a miserable day for Ireland who crumbled to Charl Willoughby (five for 33) in being dismissed for 213, Gary Wilson top-scoring with 51.

They also lost Andre Botha with a dislocated finger and he is expected to be out for two or three weeks.

Andrew Strauss hit 70 on his return to action and helped Middlesex to a nail-biting one-wicket win over Gloucestershire at Lord's.

Set 222 to win, thanks mainly to 50 from Mark Hardinges and 39 from Steve Adshead, Middlesex made it with 13 balls to spare but only after a wobble when Steve Kirby took three wickets in seven deliveries towards the end of the innings.

Kent squeezed an exciting three-wicket victory with just two deliveries to spare after being set a target of 235 against Essex at Chelmsford.

They had been on course for a comfortable success as skipper Robert Key and Matthew Walker shared a century stand to arrive at the last four overs needing 22.

But both were then dismissed in successive overs before Joe Denly became the fourth run-out victim of the innings with eight runs still required and two overs remaining.

They arrived at the final over, sent down by Ryan ten Doeschate, with four runs still needed - and Ryan McClaren saw Kent home by smashing the fourth delivery over mid-wicket for six.