Somerset continued the impressive start that they have made to the 2008 when they notched up a convincing six wicket victory over their nearest rivals Gloucestershire in Bristol in their second pre-season warm up match.

The hosts won the toss and decided to bat first in conditions that always looked likely to deteriorate. There were two interruptions for rain in the Gloucestershire innings and by the end of their innings they had scored 252 for six, with Craig Spearman top scoring for the hosts with 78 and Alex Gidman making 51.

Arul Suppiah was the pick of the Somerset attack taking two for two.

Somerset's target under the D/L method was 268 and the chase was initially based upon a second wicket partnership of 112 between opener Neil Edwards, who made 66 and John Francis who scored 50.

However when James Hildreth and Craig Kiewsetter came together at the wicket the real fireworks started to fly as the two former Millfield School students added 118 runs for the fourth wicket in just 76 balls.

Hildreth, who is 23 years old spent much of the winter out in India with two different England touring groups, scored an unbeaten 64 runs off 36 balls which included seven fours and three sixes, while Kieswetter, who is just 20 years of age, made 55 of 39 deliveries, including three fours and four sixes, as Somerset reached 272 for four with five balls to spare.

After the game Somerset  coach Andy Hurry said: "We fielded and bowled well in difficult weather conditions, with Pete Trego,Omari Banks and Arul Suppiah, who also had a good run out, all impressing in the later stages of the innings."

He went on: "Neil Edwards and John Francis gave us a really patient and mature start to the innings before James Hildreth who was the catalyst for the innings came to the wicket. He played the game to a different level in his innings and was well supported by Craig Kieswetter."

Hurry added: "The team played very well today and timed their response really well, never at any stage was there any panic, in fact this was an almost perfect performance."

Marcus Trescothick has a slight quad strain and was rested for the match in Bristol as a precautionary measure.