On a very hot day at Didcot, Oxfordshire won the toss and decided to field. The wicket was soft after a thunderstorm the previous evening had, according to the groundsman, “turned the field into a lake!” Somerset started steadily but slowly. When their second wicket fell, the score was only 114-2 in the 35th over. Their opening bat Julian Harvey had scored 52 off 126 balls. The need to increase the scoring rate was not achieved until the number six batsman, Richard Ford, arrived at the crease and struck 36 from 23 balls. However even his efforts only took the score to 187-6, seemingly a lower score than might have been expected on a wicket that had played well. All the Oxfordshire bowlers had bowled a good line and length, the pick probably being Alan Weaver whose miserly spell brought figures on 9-1-21-1.

If Oxfordshire thought that the target would be straightforward, they soon realised that this was not the case. The first 3 wickets fell inside 7 overs, all 3 batsmen being bowled for ducks! At this stage Steve Roberts joined skipper Andy Haynes and they managed to recover the situation. They both scored freely around the wicket and the total moved forward. Haynes was dropped once, on 35, but unperturbed went on to score an excellent 82 off 80 balls with 11 fours. The score was 131 when he was out but then Steve Roberts continued his fine form to win the match with over 11 overs remaining. He made a magnificent 89 not out with 12 fours off just 83 balls.