James Hildreth scored his second hundred in three innings – including a remarkable last over that went for 26 – but Somerset came up short against Middlesex at Lord's in the YB40.
Somerset missed an opportunity to return to the top of Group C as they were beaten by four wickets – lengthening their odds of a return to headquarters in the final in September in the process.
After scoring 247 for seven from their 40 overs – despite being 221 for seven going into the last of those, before Hildreth's fireworks under pressure – Somerset were essentially beaten by Dawid Malan's excellent innings for Middlesex, who reached 250 for six in 39.1 overs.
The in-form left-hander underpinned his side's innings, scoring 99 – with ample support from Neil Dexter (39 not out) – as Middlesex handed Somerset their second defeat in six YB40 group games so far in an entertaining game under the Lord's lights.
The visitors had started slowly, before Marcus Trescothick and Pete Trego upped the ante, taking their side from one for no wicket after two overs to 67 for none after eight. Somerset had to wait until the fourth over for their first boundary – but it came in some fashion, Trescothick hammering James Harris through the off-side for six.
Somerset – who opted to take the power-play at the earliest opportunity – looked set to post a mighty total as they raced to 73 for no loss inside nine overs. But Trescothick's exit for 41 from 33 balls – bowled by an arm ball from Ollie Rayner – appeared, as it so often does, to prompt concern in the Somerset batting ranks.
Three overs later, Trego got a fine nick to Harris and was caught behind by Adam Rossington, standing up to the stumps, for 35. In the following over, Nick Compton, under the microscope as he seeks runs, fell to a stunning catch by Neil Dexter at short midwicket for six to give Rayner a second wicket.
From 73 for no wicket, Somerset slipped to 85 for three, and, with no Craig Kieswetter or Jos Buttler in their side, the onus effectively fell on Hildreth and Dean Elgar to provide a spark. As a partnership, they were unable to manage that, adding only 36 in 10.2 overs – a stand that included only one boundary – before Elgar drove straight to Dexter off Rayner for 15.
Alex Barrow was dropped by Rayner at slip off Gareth Berg before he had scored – but went on to manage only 15 before giving Paul Stirling a caught-and-bowled chance that he seized with minimal fuss.
At that stage, Somerset were 156 for five, but Hildreth brought up his fifty with a four through midwicket off Tim Murtagh, the 28-year-old's half-century coming off 72 balls.
Arul Suppiah played Murtagh straight to Malan at short extra cover for ten, while Craig Meschede hinted at a repeat of his heroics from Sunday's win over Glamorgan as he launched Toby Roland-Jones back over his head for six. But Sunday's man of the match fell for 12 when replays confirmed he had been stumped by Rossington off Roland-Jones.
Somerset reached the end of the 39th over on 221 for seven, with Hildreth unbeaten on 82. But he punished Harris in the final over – clipping a flat six over midwicket, then dispatching a full toss for six to the same part of the ground, and following it with a third straight maximum.
Hildreth then hit a four, and after Harris enjoyed brief respite with a dot ball, Hildreth brought up his hundred by reverse-sweeping the final ball of the innings for four – his second fifty coming from only 22 balls. Hildreth is now averaging 241 from his four YB40 knocks this season.
Middlesex began their reply brightly – and looked completely untroubled until Paul Stirling hammered Meschede to Hildreth at mid-off for 27 with the total on 71.
But, unlike Somerset, who lost quick wickets after opener Trescothick departed, Middlesex regained their composure after Stirling's exit, with Malan bringing up his fifty with a four off Meschede in the 11th over.
The hosts, however, had cause for concern when they stuttered from 159 for one to 170 for four – and then lost talisman Malan with the total on 185.
Cruising along at 159 for one, they lost Joe Denly for 31 when he top-edged Max Waller as he tried to sweep and was caught by Barrow, while Chris Rogers fell for one in the next over, chasing a wide one from Jamie Overton and being caught superbly by Trescothick at slip.
There was a slight swing in Somerset's favour – and when Overton trapped Rossington for six with a yorker, Middlesex were 170 for four – but they still had the reassuring presence of Malan, who was playing superbly.
He was dropped on 95 by Waller at short extra cover off Kirby – but fell in the next over when he drove rashly at Meschede and was well held by Barrow for 99.
His exit seemed to give Somerset genuine belief they could win the match – but Dexter and Berg added 44 in 5.5 overs. Berg eventually chipped Meschede to Elgar at mid-on for 17 – but Dexter and Rayner, who had earlier taken three for 31, got the job done with five balls to spare.
