ANYONE who doubted the fantastic excitement of Twenty20 cricket should have been at a sunbaked Sophia Gardens last night.

A capacity 6000 crowd witnessed an extraordinary match won by Glamorgan against Somerset with a bye off the last ball - though only one player was certain of the result.

Glamorgan appeared downcast at the end as Somerset celebrated what they thought was a tied game, both sides finishing on 183.

But non-striker Andrew Davies knew his Glamorgan side had won and on the official announcement it was Glamorgan who celebrated as Somerset slumped.

Glamorgan won because they lost fewer wickets (eight, whereas their opponents were bowled out) and because of superb batting by Abergavenny-born Mike Powell.

The player dropped from the County Championship side because of poor form, struck two powerful sixes and seven crisp fours in his competition-best 68.

He did not connect with the last ball from Somerset seamer Simon Francis, but with Davies ran a match-winning bye as visitors' wicketkeeper Rob Turner's throw missed the stumps.

Afterwards Powell explained the amazing finish, saying: "I didn't know if we wanted two runs to win or just one, though Andrew asked the umpires and said it was one - that's the benefit of a private education (Christ College, Brecon), for you!

"I just wanted to get some bat on the ball, but missed. It wasn't until we got off the pitch our victory was confirmed. It was awesome."

He added: "It's gone from the doghouse to the penthouse for me. I was very disappointed at being dropped, especially as the lads played on such a flat wicket next game against Middlesex.

"But I've upped my training, changed little things outside of cricket and after having a chat with (Australian skipper) Ricky Ponting I've done a few things he told me to do, though I'd like to keep precisely what to myself.

"One knock doesn't make a summer and I have to try to be a little bit more consistent."

Somerset were put in by Glamorgan and reached a challenging 183 through knocks of 46 by the outstanding James Hildreth, who also took three wickets; 39 by South Africa Test opener Graeme Smith and 32 from Wes Durston.

Nevertheless, as Somerset were without their four leading bowlers, all injured, plus Sri Lankan star Sanath Jayasuriya (who has returned home), Glamorgan were strong favourites to win.

They lost Indian Test star Sourav Ganguly cheaply but were sailing along when Australian opener Matthew Elliott, in majestic form, played an injudicious shot and skied to mid-on for 39.

Powell and Newport's Ian Thomas, another player dropped from the championship team, put on 69 for the third wicket to put their side in control, but after Thomas became the first of three players caught by substitute fielder Anul Suppiah running in from the straight boundary, Glamorgan faltered.

They needed 93 from the last nine overs and fifty from the last five, but with wickets falling around him Powell held them together until everyone thought 12 were needed from the final over.

Alex Wharf cracked fours off the first and third deliveries, took two off the fourth but was then caught, leaving Powell to scramble home for the decisive bye.