James Franklin hundred sets up Gloucestershire win

Gloucestershire 230 for 5 beat Derbyshire by 51 runs James Franklin's first one-day century inspired Gloucestershire Gladiators to a 51-run win over Derbyshire Falcons in the opening Clydesdale Bank 40 fixture at Bristol.

The New Zealand all-rounder responded to his new position as opener by hitting 133 off 121 balls, with 10 fours and three sixes, as his side ran up 230 for 5 after losing the toss. Alex Gidman (35) and Chris Taylor (32) offered good support.

Steve Kirby (3 for 44) then took two early wickets to reduce Derbyshire to 31 for 2 and, despite 37 from Chris Rogers and 41 from John Sadler, the visitors were restricted to 179 all out. It was an important win for Gloucestershire, beaten at home in their first two County Championship games of the season. Batting frailty in those matches led to the experiment of promoting Franklin up the order and he responded with a superbly-paced innings.

Overcoming the early loss of Jonathan Batty and Hamish Marshall, the elegant left-hander added 89 in 17 overs with Gidman and 70 in 10 overs with Taylor. Franklin owed his hundred to Taylor's quick thinking. On 95 he would have been run out had his partner not sacrificed himself by crossing before bowler Tom Lungley's throw hit the stumps.

Soon afterwards the Kiwi reached three figures off 104 balls. Surprisingly for an international player of his pedigree, it was the first time he had done so in any one-day competition at home or in England. Franklin's three sixes were all hit straight down the ground.

Tim Groenewald was the pick of the Derbyshire attack conceding 37 runs from his eight overs. After Kirby's double strike, Rogers and Greg Smith put on 47 in 11 overs for the Falcons third wicket before Smith (28) was caught at the second attempt by wicketkeeper Batty off Gidman.

There was still hope for Derbyshire at 103 for 3. But then Garry Park, on 13, carelessly swung off-spinner Taylor's first ball of the game down the throat of Steve Snell at deep mid-wicket. The key wicket of Rogers followed when he had a swing at Franklin and skied a steepling catch to Batty. At 107 for 5, the Falcons were suddenly staring down the barrel.

Sadler ensured their total would reach respectability by being last man out, having hit his 41 off 34 balls, but it was always in a losing cause. He became Kirby's third victim, while Anthony Ireland and Taylor claimed two each.

Somerset ease to 38-run win

Somerset 224 for 5 (39 overs) beat Glamorgan 186 by 38 runs Half-centuries from Nick Compton and James Hildreth were enough to help Somerset open their Clydesdale Bank 40 account with a 38-run win over Glamorgan at the Swalec Stadium. When Somerset defended their 224 for 5 from their 39 overs they were indebted to Alfonso Thomas, who took three for 27 in 7.1 overs and was also responsible for a key run out and a catch as Glamorgan were dismissed for 186 with 11 balls remaining.

Thomas bowled the dangerous Mark Cosgrove, who hit 31 from 21 balls, and then caught Tom Maynard, who had given Glamorgan hope with 48 from 59 balls including two big sixes. After winning the toss, Somerset's final score was rather better than they might have hoped for when they were reduced to 21 for 2 despite winning the toss.

David Harrison claimed both wickets, dismissing Arul Suppiah leg before for a first-ball duck with only the fifth delivery of the contest. And Harrison also claimed the prize scalp of Marcus Trescothick, who edged a short ball behind. But after that Compton, the former Middlesex batsman who had scored a one-day century at the same ground last season, launched a positive recovery helped when he took three fours from one David Brown over.

He also hit a six off Chris Ashling over mid-wicket before he lost Zander de Bruyn as Somerset slipped to 83 for 3 at the halfway mark of the innings. Compton went on to his fifty from 59 balls and looked solid enough until he went leg before as Somerset reached 123 for four in the 26th over.

The positive Peter Trego showed his ability of accumulating quick runs but was dismissed giving Jamie Dalrymple a high catch running in from extra cover. And as Hildreth pressed the accelerator Ashling was dispatched for a second six, and wicketkeeper Jos Buttler also claimed a maximum off Harrison. Hildreth finished unbeaten on 68 from 59 balls.

In reply Glamorgan were not helped when the positive Cosgrove stepped back and was bowled by Thomas's first ball and two overs later Thomas ran out Jamie Dalrymple who was called through for a suicidal single by Gareth Rees.

That put Glamorgan on the back foot from which they never recovered despite a good effort from Maynard, Brown, 28 off 22 balls on debut for his new county, and Mark Wallace.Ben Phillips finished with 3 for 26 from his eight overs including the wickets of Brown and Wallace.