Australia's cricketers were beaten again on Wednesday, losing by four wickets to county side Somerset in a one-day match at Taunton.

It was the Australians' second defeat in three days after going down by 100 runs to England in a Twenty20 game.

Australia posted a healthy looking 342 for five from their 50 overs on Wednesday but centuries from Somerset's opening overseas pair of Sri Lanka's Sanath Jayasuriya (101) and South African Graeme Smith (108) undid the tourists.

The duo put on 197 in 23 overs as Australia's pace duo of Glenn McGrath and Brett Lee struggled to make an impact.

Lee exited with a shoulder injury after completing only four overs and 20-year-old James Hildreth with an unbeaten 38 helped lift the home side to victory on 345 for six with 3.1 overs left.

Australia have been warming up for a triangular one-day series also involving England and Bangladesh who open the tournament on Thursday with a match at The Oval.

Australia play Bangladesh in Cardiff on Saturday and England in Bristol on Sunday. The five-match Ashes series begins with the first test at Lord's from July 21.

Scorecard

Australians:
M Hayden retired out 76
S Katich c Hildreth b SRG Francis 12
R Ponting retired out 80
D Martyn st Gazzard b Smith 44
M Clarke not out 63
M Hussey b Jayasuriya 51
BJ Haddin not out 5
Extras: (lb 2, w 9) 11
Total: (5 wickets, 50 overs) 342

Did not bat: SR Watson, B Lee, MS Kasprowicz, GD McGrath.

Fall of wickets: 1-60, 2-101, 3-211, 4-221, 5-320.

Bowling: Andrew 5.2-0-52-0, SRG Francis 8-0-56-1 (1w), M Parsons 8-0-57-0, Jayasuriya 8-0-47-1 (3w), Smith 7-0-61-1 (3w), KA Parsons 7.4-0-43-0, Blackwell 6-0-24-0.

Somerset: (target: 343 runs from 50 overs)
G Smith st Haddin b Clarke 108
S Jayasuriya c Hussey b McGrath 101
JD Francis b McGrath 23
I Blackwell b Watson 25
K Parsons lbw Hussey 1
M Wood c Clarke b Hussey 17
J Hildreth not out 38
C Gazzard not out 21
Extras: (lb 5, w 2, nb 4) 11
Total: (6 wickets, 46.5 overs) 345

Did not bat: GM Andrew, SRG Francis, M Parsons.

Fall of wickets: 1-197, 2-231, 3-254, 4-258, 5-277, 6-291.

Bowling: Lee 4-0-26-0, McGrath 10-0-49-2 (1nb, 1w), Kasprowicz 8-0-89-0 (3nb), Watson 8.5-0-72-1 (1w), Clarke 10-0-63-1, Hussey 6-0-41-2.