RILEE Rossouw blitzed his way to a career-best 156 to help Hampshire beat Somerset by four wickets in the Royal London One Day Cup group match at Taunton.

The South African opened the innings and stayed at the crease almost to the end to help his side to victory with more than 12 overs to spare.

It is the highest score by any Hampshire one-day debutant, the county’s highest individual List A score for eight years and the highest away from home against county opposition since Robin Smith’s 158 against Worcestershire at New Road in 1996.

Rossouw faced only 113 balls, scoring 24 fours and two sixes.

Replying to Somerset’s below par 249, which included half-centuries from Dean Elgar, Pete Trego and Adam Hose, Hampshire took advantage of some wayward bowling.

After they lost Tom Alsop with the score on 20, left-hander Rossouw shared a second-wicket stand of 114 with James Vince before the skipper was out for 35.

Rossouw scored his runs freely and was particularly ruthless on anything short. It wasn’t until Somerset introduced Tim Groenewald and Roelof van der Merwe into the attack that they were able kerb his run spree.

The 27 year-old duly went to his century with a boundary to square cover off Van der Merwe, his runs coming off 73 balls with 17 fours and a six.

Hampshire were within touching distance of their target when Jamie Overton, who had suffered in his earlier overs, returned and picked up four quick wickets, including that of Rossouw.

But by that time the outcome was a formality. Lewis McManus hit Van der Merwe for successive sixes team to confirm Somerset’s first defeat in this season’s competition.

Earlier, Somerset were rescued from two wickets down for one run by Elgar and Trego, who was put down in the slips on one. The all-rounder then started to go for his shots and lofted Abbott high into the Somerset Stand for six before seeing up the 50 in the ninth over.

Trego went to his 50 with a square drive off Berg, his runs coming off 41 balls with eight 4s and a six.

However five runs later he was out when the same bowler got his revenge. Trego’s third-wicket partnership with Elgar added 85.

James Hildreth went cheaply, which brought Isle of Wight-born Adam Hose in to face the county that released him as a youngster. Elgar went to his 50 with a single off Crane his runs coming off 56 balls with two fours and two sixes - his fifth half-century in as many innings.

Hose played the shot of the day when he drove Edwards to mid-wicket and duly went to his second 50 of the competition this season with a single off Crane. Later in the same over Hose was caught at long off without addition, his fifth wicket partnership with Elgar adding 80.

Roelof van der Merwe hit two big sixes before he was run out for 19 after a mix up with Elgar.

Craig Overton and Josh Davey went cheaply and when Elgar was out for 78 trying to run Crane down the third man Somerset found themselves 224 for nine. Jamie Overton played some lusty blows but on 28 he was bowled by Edwards and Somerset were all out for 249 off 44.2 overs.