ESSEX Eagles were beaten by three wickets in a pulsating Twenty20 Blast match with Somerset, for whom West Indian powerhouse Chris Gayle shone on his debut.

With one over to be bowled, Somerset needed five runs to win, after Gayle had smashed 92 runs off 59 balls in his first outing for his new T20 side.

Eagles had reduced the visitors to singles, with the match tied with just one ball to come.

And Lewis Gregory secured the win with a scampered single, despite loud appeals for a run-out by the home faithful.

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Chris Gayle prepares to make his Somerset debut

 

Eagles started their innings well, as an opening stand of 90 between Tom Westley (69) and Jesse Ryder (54) put them in a commanding position in the early stages.

Ryder was bludgeoning balls with no mercy, reaching 50 from only 25 balls, but just after he had been dropped he was out.

The very first delivery from Australian Jim Allenby saw him trapped LBW, to be replaced by Ravi Bopara.

Eagles had scored 102 at the half-way point for the loss of only one wicket but both Bopara (four) and Kishen Velani (zero) went in the same over to deal Paul Grayson’s men a blow.

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Tom Westley celebrates his 50

And Essex struggled to make any inroads after that with Ryan ten Doeschate (14) and James Foster (16) the only other men to make it into double figures.

Westley went in the final over, as did Reece Topley with the final ball of the innings to bring Somerset to the middle, Eagles ending on 176 all out.

And it started so well. A terrific first over from Topley saw only one run on the board, as Gayle missed with two big shots.

Marcus Trescothick was the first visiting batsman to go, as David Masters caught him at fine leg, despite juggling the ball at first.

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Graham Napier is congratulated after claiming the wicket of Marcus Trescothick

 

And the fine bowling continued. Shaun Tait trapped Peter Trego LBW with Somerset only reaching 68-2 at the half-way point.

But Gayle was getting into his stride, hitting six sixes and eight fours on his way to a fine score.

The Jamaican was dropped at third man before he was eventually caught as Somerset closed on victory – needing 13 from 10 balls.

Tom Cooper was out soon after, after a fine run-out from Bopara left the tail-enders with the responsibility of getting Somerset over the finishing line.

Sohail Tanveer went in the final over, with Somerset needing five to win and they surpassed the total with an over to spare, to send Eagles to their fourth defeat in five matches so far this season.