The best batting performance by a local side to date was tainted by the combination of an untimely run-out and anaemic bowling at Somerset Cricket Club on Saturday.

Opening batsmen Robert Samuels and Philo Wallace hardly gave the Somerset bowlers a look-in, save for a few muted lbw appeals, as the West Indians romped to their most conclusive win on tour.

Samuels hit a masterful 107 and Wallace, who played a supporting role for the most part, finished on 83 for his third half-century on tour.

Much of the drama was rightfully in the Somerset innings as the Cup Match challengers collapsed from a commanding position at 175 for two with 15 overs left.

The 36th over saw Andre Manders run out for 41 on trying for a third run with Albert Steede.

So, within the next eight overs, instead of Somerset pressing for a score well in excess of 250, last pair Rodney Fubler and Charles Swan had to scramble just to pass the double century mark.

It was Hill who set the table as he took on pace trio Franklyn Rose, Sammy Skeete and Casper Davis in scoring a scintillating 52.

After losing opening partner Dexter Basden caught behind for six off Skeete in the second over, Hill went in a dance.

For the first time in a lean season for him thus far, Hill in 63 balls and 76 minutes showed why he is rated as a class strokeplayer. All but four of his runs came from boundaries (nine fours, two sixes) as he punished the West Indians whenever they came short or over-pitched.

The tourists won the toss and sent Somerset in, but found once Hill pulled Rose for his first boundary that the pitch would not be as quick as it was the previous Sunday against Bermuda.

With Steede a spectator at the other end, Hill's three-over battle with Davis was perhaps the highlight of the day.

Davis went for 34 runs in that period but the St. Vincentian generated the most pace in his determination to ruffle Hill.

The first over cost 11, including a vicious bouncer that flew over wicket-keeper Courtney Browne and dropped just inside the boundary for four wides.

The second was the most exciting, Hill hitting a second-ball bouncer for four and then, on a no-ball, he barely got his bat down and an inside edge went for four to fine leg. A frustrated Davis charged in quicker and banged in another bouncer that Hill pulled into the clubhouse upper deck. Davis had the better of the remaining balls as he kept Hill from scoring.

But in the next over, Hill was at it again with two more hooked fours before Davis finally got a quick bouncer on the right line and Hill could not get around on the shot and gave Browne an easy catch.

Hill indicated that the ball came off his forearm guard as he slowly left the pitch but regardless he played a major role in restoring Bermuda pride.

The score was 74 when Hill departed with Steede yet to reach double figures.

But the Bermuda captain would play his most accomplished innings of the tour in a 101-run partnership with Manders.

The pair ran between the wicket well and struck the ball crisply against all comers, including wily wrist spinner Shivnarine Chanderpaul.

The communication went sour at 175 for two when Steede drove Skeete through the covers past Nehemiah Perry. Two was completed comfortably but when Steede turned for a third, Manders hesitated at the other end. That lapse proved his undoing as even an off-target throw from Perry to Browne was good enough to end his innings on 41. Manders had hit six fours and two sixes from 61 balls in 78 minutes.

It was an extra run that was not needed at the time as the two were in the midst of a scoring glut that had seen 50 come off the previous six overs.

New batsman Jeff Richardson lasted only eight balls as he gave Browne his fourth of five caught behind victims trying to tickle Chanderpaul to the vacant third man area.

With no addition to the score Steede was out for 61, his on-drive against Davis going straight to skipper Roland Holder. Steede faced 87 balls in 156 minutes and hit seven fours and two sixes.

The tourists raced through what proved to be a long tail with Davis, rewarded for an earlier spell when bat beat ball, claiming four for 53 from 10 overs.

Eugene Antoine took two for 20 from nine overs while Rose, Skeete and Chanderpaul each had one wicket.

Somerset's Charles Swan learned a lesson that has been preached to Bermuda bowlers for much of the summer. He bowled eight good balls in his opening two-over spell, but the other four went for 20 as Wallace got off to a good start.

Swan was replaced at the garden end by skipper Perry Maybury, while at the other end, Samuels was taking a liking to Fubler's medium pace.

The 50 came up in the ninth over and from there it was easy pickings for the West Indians.

The lone opportunity for Somerset came when Samuels on 88 lofted an attempted pull, which bounced in front of a diving Steede at long leg and went for four.

Samuels finished with 11 fours and eight sixes and faced 90 balls as he and Wallace raced to victory in only 28.5 overs. Wallace struck 10 fours and four sixes from 96 balls.

DYNAMIC DUO -- Robert Samuels, left, and Philo Wallace had few problems with Somerset's bowling attack.