Somerset through to Vitality Blast final

Davey fired down four for 34, as Hampshire were restricted to 150 – with Joe Weatherley thrashing a career-best 71. Somerset looked down and out at 34 for five but Tom Abell collected 50, Ben Green smashed 35 off 18 before Davey’s six and four in the final over got them over the line to face either Sussex or Kent.

Hampshire, who won the 2010 and 2012 editions of the Blast, have now lost all six semi-finals on this ground.

James Vince, having been stuck in, was dropped in the first over in Craig Overton’s follow-through but by the end of the third over both Hampshire’s openers had departed. In hissecond Blast appearance, Toby Albert scooped behind before Vince attempted a cut but feathered to keeper Tom Banton.

Tom Prest was bowled through the gate by Josh Davey to leave Hampshire 26 for three but just as Hampshire appeared to be collapsing into oblivion Weatherley erupted with two slog-swept sixes.

Somerset thought they had dismissed the right-handed batter when he skied but he quickly pointed out there were too many fielders outside the ring – to add insult to injury Liam Dawson dispatched the free hit for six. Dawson was yorked by Ben Green before Lewis McManus feathered behind.

Weatherley continued his assault with boundaries straight down the ground and more maximums down the ground and over midwicket – bringing up his third T20 fifty in 38 balls. James Fuller was run out and then Chris Wood clubbed two sixes off Marchant de Lange before he and Scott Currie were both bowled by Davey within three balls of each other.

Weatherley eventually departed for 71 when he holed out the penultimate delivery and Brad Wheal was run out off the final ball – Hampshire recovering to a creditable 150.

Like the Hawks, Somerset lost three wickets in the Powerplay. Tom Banton slogged to deep midwicket before Roelof van der Merwe and Will Smeed both slapped to mid-on. A calamitous run out, and good James Fuller work, accounted for Lewis Goldsworthy and then Mason Crane pinned Tom Lammonby lbw for a first ball duck – Somerset slumping to 34 for five.

Tom Abell and Lewis Gregory steadied things and took the score to 79 before the latter was castled by Dawson. Abell continued and reached his fourth Blast half-century of the season in 34 deliveries but failed to add to the milestone when he clubbed to deep midwicket.

Green then turned the match on its head, taking Wheal and then Wood for three sixes but holed out with seven balls to go. Somerset needed 10 from the final over, bowled by Wheal, and Davey eased the pressure by sticking the third ball over long-on before flicking off his toes for four to win it.