Somerset Secure T20 Finals Day Slot
Somerset’s quest to become the first team to defend the Vitality Blast title remains on course after victory against Northamptonshire confirmed a spot at Finals Days for the fourth year in a row.
Somerset had earned a place in the quarter finals with a third place finish in the Southern group, with opponents Northants having taken second in the Northern group.
The Vertu Motors-backed side was put in to bat first at the County Ground and suffered an early loss when Will Smeed was caught off the bowling of David Willey in just the second over to leave Somerset on 10-1.
That brought Tom Kohler-Cadmore to the crease to join Tom Banton and the pair were able to move the score to 49-1 by the end of the powerplay, with Banton racing to a half-century from just 31 deliveries.
After a slow start to his innings, Kohler-Cadmore also started to hit out and reached his own 50 from 38 balls, with the duo taking the score on to 135 before Banton was dismissed for 75 as a result of a smart catch on the boundary.
Kohler-Cadmore, who had already survived a potential catch and an appeal for a stumping, went on to reach 63 before he was caught by Saif Zaib off the bowling of Ben Sanderson having helped to move the score on to 171 alongside Sean Dickson.
He would then be joined by captain Lewis Gregory to put on a further 44 runs in the closing overs as Somerset set a solid target of 216 for victory.
Northamptonshire’s reply got off to a poor start when Kohler-Cadmore caught George Bartlett in the first over, with Willey and Ricardo Vasconcelos moving the score on to 68 before Vasconcelos – nursing a broken hand – was second man out with the score on 68.
After a quickfire 29 from Justin Broad, Northants were left needing to score 79 to win from the final five overs but Saif Zaib and Willey fell in quick succession and the run rate would prove to be too much as the innings drew to a close with Somerset taking the win by 17 runs.
Somerset will now play Surrey in the first semi-final at Edgbaston on Saturday for the right to play Gloucestershire or Sussex in the final later in the day.
Surrey are also the opposition in the County Championship tie that will take place prior to Finals Day.
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