The Australians click while beating Somerset

Australians 5-321 declared (Shane Watson 90, Phillip Huhges 76*, Craig Meschede 2-67) and 4-263 (Usman Khawaja 73, Brad Haddin 52*, Hughes 50, George Dockrell 3-78) beat Somerset 320 (Chris Jones 130, Nick Compton 81, James Hildreth 66, Mitchell Starc 4-33) and 260 (James Hildreth 75, Peter Trego 60, James Pattinson 3-61) by six wickets.

The visiting Australians got back their rhythm while performing excellently in all departments of the game against a strong Somerset team and won the match.

Somerset was bowled out for 320 and 260 respectively in their two innings whereas Australians declared their first innings at 5-321 and achieved the target by scoring 4-263 in the second.

The Tour match was played on June 26, 27, 28 and 29, 2013, at County Ground, Taunton.

Earlier, the visitors started day four at 36 after 8 overs without losing any wicket whereas Ed Cowan and Usman Khawaja were unbeaten at 14 and 18 runs. The batsmen hit four boundaries until the end of the 22^nd over and took the score to 86 when Cowan was gone for 46 and was replaced by Phillip Hughes. Usman Khawaja got his 22^nd First-class fifty in the 33^rd over and Hughes hit the first six of the innings in the next one. Khawaja became the next victim at his individual contribution of 73 off 116 balls with 10 fours as the score touched 162.

The skipper of the Australians, Michael Clarke, joined in next with Hughes who was going solid at his end. Clarke tasted his first six in the 49^th over as Phillip Hughes reached his 40^th First-class half century with a grand six in the following one. The second hundred of the innings appeared on board in the 51^st over as Hughes was clean bowled by George Dockrell for 50 off 90 with 2 lofty sixes and 3 fours. Brad Haddin walked in next as Clarke got an identical treatment from Dockrell and went back to the pavilion for 26 runs.

The fourth wicket fell at 204 as James Faulkner got together with Haddin and the Australians required another 56 runs to win the match. Faulkner opened his account on the 14^th ball with a single as Haddin changed his gears by dispatching 1 six and 2 fours in the coming overs. The latter hit three back to back fours in the 59^th over as Faulkner kept on creeping at his end. Brad Haddin hit another 3 fours in the 63^rd over and smashed his 47^th First-class fifty with a six in the 64^th over. He secured his end with 52 off just 40 deliveries comprising 2 big sixes and 8 fours, James Faulkner scored 5 from 30 as the Australians hammered 263 for the loss of four wickets in 63.5 overs.

George Dockrell was the highest wicket taker with three whereas Gemaal Hussain held one.

The Australians clinched the encounter with a huge margin of six wickets and that will boost their confidence in the forthcoming Ashes series against England.