Phillips bowls Essex to FL Twenty20 win against Somerset

Phillips went for 23 off his one over against Somerset just 19 days ago

Tim Phillips proved Essex's matchwinner with 4-20 as Somerset crashed to a 65-run FL Twenty20 home defeat at Bath.

Essex's total of 209-5 owed much to an 108-run fourth-wicket stand between Mark Pettini (81) and Ravi Bopara (72).

Phillips took the key wicket of Marcus Trescothick, bowled second ball, claiming three more scalps as Somerset fell well short on 144.

Essex's victory was sweet revenge for their English Twenty20 record 143-run defeat by Somerset last month.

But it would especially have been so for Phillips, who conceded 23 off his one over in that battering by Somerset at Chelmsford only 19 days ago.

Ryan ten Doeschate also bowled well, claiming 3-18 as Essex's second win in three days took them level on 14 points in the South Group with second-placed Somerset, who suffered a second consecutive defeat.

Both teams are are four points adrift of the South Group leaders, holders Hampshire.

But Essex's win, coupled with Surrey's victory over Sussex at Whitgift School, means that five teams are now separated by just one point in the battle for the three remaining quarter-final places.

Despite the disappointing result for the home fans, it was still entertaining fayre for the 7,000 who turned up to watch Somerset's only game of the season at the Recreation Ground.

Most of the crowd were able to sit in the rugby club stands after it was decided to cut a pitch this year that is about 100 yards further away from the ones usually used by the county.