Shah shows the way

Owais Shah's 96 paved the way for a comfortable Middlesex win at Lord's

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Owais Shah hit a superb 96 to help Middlesex claim a 43-run victory over Somerset in their NatWest Pro40 Division One clash at Lord's.

With the hosts struggling on 50 for five, Shah – overlooked in favour of Ravi Bopara for England's 13-man squad for the fourth npower Test against South Africa – produced a composed innings to help his side reach 203 for nine.

Marcus Trescothick raced to 40 off 35 balls in reply, but after he was dismissed by Tyron Henderson, spinners Shaun Udal and Murali Kartik tore through the Sabres batting line-up to dismiss them for 160 with 17 balls to spare.

Somerset put their hosts in, and Charl Willoughby had Ed Joyce caught at point in the third over before, in the seventh, Eoin Morgan edged behind.

In between those two dismissals, Peter Trego took a return catch to see off Billy Godleman.

Willoughby finished with 3-26, trapping Dawid Malan lbw before Henderson and Shah launched the Middlesex fightback.

Henderson hit 50 off just 24 balls – 42 came in boundaries – before he was bowled by Arul Suppiah.

Shah brought up his half-century from 68 balls with a drive to the cover boundary and upped the ante to take 16 off the last over of the innings, including his only six and two of his eight fours.

Chasing 204, Somerset lost Justin Langer in the fourth over but were going well at 62 for one before the loss of Trescothick to Henderson.

Udal bowled James Hildreth and four overs later had Trego stumped. In between, Kartik clipped Zander de Bruyn's off bail.

The two spinners kept the pressure on, and Somerset were struggling on 103 for seven by the 27th over.

They took the total to 148 before the eighth wicket fell, Shah taking a catch at deep midwicket to dismiss Omari Banks.