Aussies lose to Somerset

Australia's [ Images ] cricketers were beaten again on Wednesday, losing by four wickets to county side Somerset in a one-day match at Taunton.

It was the Australians' second defeat in three days after going down by 100 runs to England [ Images ] in a Twenty20 [ Images ] game.

Australia posted a healthy looking 342 for five from their 50 overs on Wednesday but centuries from Somerset's opening overseas pair of Sri Lanka's [ Images ] Sanath Jayasuriya [ Images ] (101) and South African Graeme Smith [ Images ] (108) undid the tourists.

The duo put on 197 in 23 overs as Australia's pace duo of Glenn McGrath [ Images ] and Brett Lee [ Images ] struggled to make an impact.

Lee exited with a shoulder injury after completing only four overs and 20-year-old James Hildreth with an unbeaten 38 helped lift the home side to victory on 345 for six with 3.1 overs left.

Australia have been warming up for a triangular one-day series also involving England and Bangladesh who open the tournament on Thursday with a match at The Oval.

Australia play Bangladesh in Cardiff on Saturday and England in Bristol on Sunday. The five-match Ashes series begins with the first test at Lord's from July 21.

Scorecard

Australians:
M Hayden retired out 76
S Katich c Hildreth b SRG Francis 12
R Ponting retired out 80
D Martyn st Gazzard b Smith 44
M Clarke not out 63
M Hussey b Jayasuriya 51
BJ Haddin not out 5
Extras: (lb 2, w 9) 11
Total: (5 wickets, 50 overs) 342

Did not bat: SR Watson, B Lee, MS Kasprowicz, GD McGrath.

Fall of wickets: 1-60, 2-101, 3-211, 4-221, 5-320.

Bowling: Andrew 5.2-0-52-0, SRG Francis 8-0-56-1 (1w), M Parsons 8-0-57-0, Jayasuriya 8-0-47-1 (3w), Smith 7-0-61-1 (3w), KA Parsons 7.4-0-43-0, Blackwell 6-0-24-0.

Somerset: (target: 343 runs from 50 overs)
G Smith st Haddin b Clarke 108
S Jayasuriya c Hussey b McGrath 101
JD Francis b McGrath 23
I Blackwell b Watson 25
K Parsons lbw Hussey 1
M Wood c Clarke b Hussey 17
J Hildreth not out 38
C Gazzard not out 21
Extras: (lb 5, w 2, nb 4) 11
Total: (6 wickets, 46.5 overs) 345

Did not bat: GM Andrew, SRG Francis, M Parsons.

Fall of wickets: 1-197, 2-231, 3-254, 4-258, 5-277, 6-291.

Bowling: Lee 4-0-26-0, McGrath 10-0-49-2 (1nb, 1w), Kasprowicz 8-0-89-0 (3nb), Watson 8.5-0-72-1 (1w), Clarke 10-0-63-1, Hussey 6-0-41-2.