Somerset gained revenge for their Twenty20 Cup final defeat by beating Sussex Sharks by 49 runs in the floodlit NatWest Pro40 League Division One match at Taunton.

The Sabres took over from their opponents at the top of the table, scoring 238 for five after winning the toss. Zander de Bruyn hit 73 while James Hildreth and Craig Kieswetter both contributed 45.

In reply Sussex slipped to 61 for four as left-arm spinner Arul Suppiah opened the bowling and removed openers Rory Hamilton-Brown and Luke Wright cheaply.

Ben Phillips removed dangermen Murray Goodwin and Michael Yardy with successive balls and the Sharks could manage only 189, despite a superb 94 from Ed Joyce. The next highest score was 19.

Somerset skipper Justin Langer elected to bat first, having chosen to field in the Twenty20 final, and Marcus Trescothick again looked in sublime form.

The former England opening batsman hit 36 off 30 balls, with five fours and a six, before holing out to mid-on off Wright's slower ball.

Trescothick and Kieswetter gave the Sabres a good start in bright sunshine, putting on 69 for the first wicket in 10 overs. Kieswetter also hit Wright to mid-on and departed with the score on 86.

Hildreth and de Bruyn were able to build their third-wicket stand steadily and added 91 before Hildreth was caught at long-on trying to reach his half-century with a six.

Peter Trego played an entertaining cameo with 23 at a run a ball, while de Bruyn was the anchor. The South African fell in the 38th over, having faced 68 balls and hit three fours and three sixes.

Somerset's decision to give Suppiah the new ball was a surprise - but he responded by having Hamilton-Brown caught at mid-on and Wright lbw to leave Sussex 18 for two.

Kieswetter played a key role, accepting a thin edge from Goodwin when he had made 19 and then producing a brilliant leg-side stumping to remove Yardy first ball.

An easier stumping accounted for Chris Nash off leg-spinner Max Waller after the dangerous Dwayne Smith was well caught low down by Hildreth at cover off Mark Turner.

The impressive Waller also accounted for Andrew Hodd and Joyce was left to play a lone hand. He was last man out, caught at long-on, having faced 108 balls.

It was a magnificent lone hand. Unfortunately for the Sharks, the rest of their batsmen looked to be still suffering a hangover from the Twenty20 celebrations.