Somerset Sabres got their NUL National League campaign back on track at Cardiff today when they recorded a resounding victory over Glamorgan Dragons to earn themselves four valuable points in their fight for division one survival.

After being put into bat, Somerset lost Matt Wood early but Peter Bowler and Jamie Cox took them onto 34 before Cox was caught by Dean Cosker in the gully off Andrew Davies for 12.

Mike Burns came in and hurried the score along until with the score on 58, Bowler was bowled by Darren Thomas for 18. Burns stayed for a little longer but was eventually out for 25 caught by Glamorgan captain Steve James off Thomas.

Coming in at 58 for 3 Keith Parsons worked hard to establish himself, and then after being joined by Ian Blackwell brought up the hundred for the Sabres.

The demise of Blackwell shortly afterwards bowled by Adrian Dale for 10, brought Rob Turner to the wicket, to share in what was the most productive partnership of the innings for the Sabres.

During the course of the next 16 overs Parsons and Turner plundered 81 all important runs from the Glamorgan attack. Parsons brought up his own fifty and Somerset's 150 at the same time, and hit one big six off Cosker before he was caught at deep mid wicket by David Hemp off Robert Croft for an invaluable 70. Parsons had faced 68 balls, and hit 1x6 and 3x4.

Matt Bulbeck came in to join Turner, but six runs later the wicket-keeper was out to a stunning catch by Cosker at wide mid on after he had scored 31.

Bulbeck brought up the 200 and then hit two enormous sixes over the longest boundary on the ground, and Keith Dutch added some quick runs before the rains came down to put a premature end to the innings with Somerset on 245 for7. At the close Dutch was unbeaten on 26 with Bulbeck on 24.

Chasing a reduced total of 234 from 34 overs Glamorgan got off to a quick start with Croft taking 12 off the first over that was bowled by Simon Francis, who was returning to the side after a long lay off through injury.

Ian Thomas set off at a similar pace at the other end, dispatching Bulbeck's first ball to the boundary, but his success was short lived as he edged the left armer to Turner to make Glamorgan 18 for 1.

Croft continued to take chances in an attempt to move Glamorgan into a winning position should the Duckworth Lewis system be enforced but in the third over took one chance too many when he hoisted a ball from Francis to extra cover where Dutch took a diving catch close to the ground.

Hemps stay at the wicket was short lived. In the next over from Bulbeck he gave a catch to second slip where Dutch gratefully received the offering, and Glamorgan total had slipped to 29 for 3.

Bulbeck struck again in his next over when he trapped the Glamorgan skipper James LBW to make the Dragons 32 for 4. Nine runs later Dale followed his captain back to the pavilion after he skied a ball from Francis into the waiting gloves of Turner.

Matthew Maynard and Mike Powell started to look settled and added 17 until Maynard edged a ball to Turner to give Bulbeck his fourth wicket of the innings and reduce the Dragons to 58 for 6.

Mike Burns replaced Francis for the 13th over and immediately accounted for Darren Thomas. Two balls later Burns trapped Andrew Davies LBW and Glamorgan were 65 for 8.

Burns hit the stumps with the first ball of his next over to dispose of Cosker, but last man Owen Parkin and Powell proved more obstinate.

The final pair added 45 until they were eventually parted by Blackwell and Glamorgan were all out for 118 in the 22nd over to give Somerset Sabres victory by 108 runs.

Immediately after the game a delighted Kevin Shine told me: "This was a thoroughly professional performance from the boys. The wicket wasn't easy at the start, but we had good knocks from Keith Parsons and Rob Turner, and then some quick runs at the end from Matt Bulbeck and Keith Dutch."

He continued: "Their boys came out at a rate as we knew they would, but Simon Francis and Matt Bulbeck kept their heads and put the ball in the right place and we kept taking wickets. I really am very pleased with today's result."

© SOMERSET