Somerset Sabres gained their first Pro 40 victory of the season when they beat Yorkshire Phoenix with 19 balls to spare at the County Ground in Taunton.

After winning the toss and deciding to bat, Yorkshire openers Andrew Gale and Jacques Rudolph raced the total onto 49 by the end of the seventh over.

The eighth over, however, halted the Yorkshire assault in its tracks. With his first ball Charl Willoughby had Gale caught at silly mid on by Justin Langer and then struck again with the last ball to dismiss Adam Lyth in a repeat performance which produced an even sharper catch by the Somerset captain.

Rudolph was fortunate to survive a chance at long on off Ben Phillips when he was on 24, but added 33 runs with Jonathan Bairstow before the youngster was bowled by Peter Trego.

Gerard Brophy brought up the Yorkshire 100 with a single off Trego to deep mid on before being caught by Marcus Trescothick at short extra cover off leg spinner Max Waller.

Rudolph kept acquiring runs whenever the opportunity availed itself and reached his half century, which came off 53 balls and included six fours, in the 26th over with a single to third man.

Along with Richard Pyrah, the opener added 51 runs in 12 overs before Pyrah went down the wicket to off spinner Omari Banks and was stumped by Craig Kieswetter.

In spite of wickets tumbling at the other end, Rudolph looked to be heading for a century and brought up the 200 with consecutive straight sixes off Waller, the first of which was very nearly spectacularly caught by James Hildreth at long off.

Yorkshire lost their ninth wicket in the final over when Zander De Bruyn bowled Deon Kruis, and he then had Rudolph caught on the boundary by Hildreth to leave the visitors all out for 208.

Rudolph's 95 came off 85 deliveries and included eight fours and two sixes.

The Somerset response was equally robust and early in the innings Kieswetter stepped down the wicket to loft Tim Bresnan over the boundary.

Runs flowed freely for both openers but in the 11th over, Trescothick hit a full toss straight towards Adil Rashid who took a one handed catch at short mid on.

The opening partnership had yielded 77 runs in 65 balls to which Trescothick had contributed 39.

The next over from the Old Pavilion End bowled by Kruis halted the hosts' progress even further as he accounted for Kieswetter, who played on for 37, and with his penultimate delivery had De Bruyn leg before wicket.

The introduction of David Wainwright in the 16th over brought immediate reward when the slow left armer had Justin Langer leg before.

Hildreth brought up three figures for the Sabres in the 19th over and, along with Trego, added 51 for the fifth wicket to take the total to 142 before the all-rounder was caught by Rudolph at mid wicket.

Going into the final 10 overs, the Sabres still needed 57 runs to win with five wickets remaining but the pairing of Hildreth and Arul Suppiah made short work of their target.

The pair were particularly harsh on Rashid, who bowled the 35th over which went for 21, including two sixes by Suppiah.

The winning runs were eventually scored by Hildreth, who straight drove Kruis to the Old Pavilion boundary as the Sabres ended on 211 for five.

Hildreth was unbeaten on 62 while Suppiah finished 32 not out.