One-Day Cup: Somerset outplay Nottinghamshire by 115 runs to reach Lord's

Azhar Ali
Opener Azhar Ali scored 72 runs from 71 balls to give Somerset a great start at Trent Bridge
Royal London One-Day Cup semi-final, Trent Bridge
Somerset 337 (50 overs): Trego 73, Azhar 72; Ball 4-62
Nottinghamshire 222 (38.2 overs): Slater 58, Hales 54; Van der Merwe 3-29
Somerset beat Notts by 115 runs
Match scorecard

Somerset thrashed Nottinghamshire by 115 runs at Trent Bridge to reach the final of the One-Day Cup.

Azhar Ali (72) and Peter Trego (73) laid the foundation for the Somerset innings before some lower-order fireworks took them to 337 all out.

Notts started the chase well, with Ben Slater and Alex Hales making fifties, but they collapsed from 110-1 to 156-6.

After a brief rally, the home side were eventually bowled out in the 39th over for just 222.

Victory for Somerset means a first Lord's final for eight years - where they will face holders Hampshire - and they will hope this is the occasion that they break their poor recent record there. The county have lost their previous three finals at the Home of Cricket, last lifting a trophy at the famous old ground in 2001.

Notts struggled to contain Somerset at either end of their innings, despite Jake Ball (4-62) twice taking two wickets in an over, and then lost their way in reply during a crucial 12-over spell after moving into a strong position while Slater (58) and Hales (54) were together.

The Somerset top three of Tom Banton (59), Azhar and Trego had scored at an average of quicker than a run-a-ball to give the visitors an excellent start.

When James Hildreth quickly followed Azhar back to the pavilion Somerset rebuilt, and later after Lewis Gregory and Roelof van der Merwe were dismissed, Craig and Jamie Overton laid siege to the Notts attack, adding 47 between them from only 31 balls.

Having reached a similar position of strength with the bat, Nottinghamshire failed to capitalise, with Van der Merwe's 3-29 the pick of the Somerset attack as they comfortably secured their spot in the final.

Nottinghamshire captain Steven Mullaney:

"They fully deserve their place at Lord's. I thought they out-batted, out-bowled and out-fielded us. At halfway I thought it was a very chaseable total but I've no complaints, we just weren't good enough.

"Alex (Hales) and Ben (Slater) got in and got out, I got in and got out, but it wasn't to be today.

"I wouldn't change my decision at the toss but feel we could probably have bowled and fielded a bit better.

"Nobody is going to feel sorry for us now, so we've got about 12 hours to dust ourselves off before we get on a bus and get to Chelmsford for the Championship match and we'll have to be at our best there because they are a good side."

Somerset skipper Tom Abell:

"It means everything to lead the side through to a Lord's final. It will be such a special day, obviously with it being the last final at Lord's and it's been a while since we were there.

"I'm just so proud of the team, the squad and the coaching staff. I feel we are peaking at the right time and probably peaked in the quarter-final and semi-final, which is great with Lord's in mind.

"We got off to a fantastic start today, and we felt it was a really good score. They bowled well at the death but I thought we were good in all three disciplines.

"It was obviously a big moment in the game once Hales got out, but there was still Moores and Mullaney to come at that stage and we were desperate to make sure they didn't come back into the game."