Somerset coast to win over Kent

South African Roelof van der Merwe made his highest Twenty20 score as Somerset beat Kent by nine wickets.

Van der Merwe made 15 in Somerset's opening T20 game against Hampshire

After losing Peter Trego cheaply in their run chase, Van der Merwe (89no) and skipper Marcus Trescothick (64no) put on an unbroken stand of 150.

Somerset reached their victory target on 166-1 with 18 balls to spare.

Earlier, Kent were indebted to Darren Stevens, who hit four sixes in his 68 and Robert Key (43) in their 163-8, Lewis Gregory taking 3-26.

But van der Merwe's innings was the highlight for last year's beaten finalists, his 51-ball knock containing six sixes and seven fours.

While Trescothick, who reached his half-century off only 30 balls with one six, passed 1,500 career runs in Twenty20 cricket.