Teamwork does the job for Somerset

Somerset 263-8 Kent 211 Somerset win by 52 runs

England's Andrew Caddick and Marcus Trescothick had a rare experience yesterday – they tasted victory. Unfortunately, it was not for their country, but rather their county as they played a part in Somerset's comfortable passage into the semi-finals of the C&G Trophy.

Neither Test player starred, but they each did enough, contributing to what was a sound team performance. They should also be around at the weekend for the Championship match against Glamorgan, because for the first time this season England have released all their players to turn out for their counties, a move to help them consign the first two Ashes Tests to the back of their mind and pick up something positive on home soil.

The Somerset pair should return to international duty in a positive frame of mind. The Somerset effort revived memories of the golden years when Viv Richards, Joel Garner and Ian Botham were helping them to five one-day titles in five seasons between 1979 and 1983; in that haul were two NatWest Trophy triumphs.

It has to be said that Kent fielded appallingly. A fact freely acknowledged by their captain Matthew Fleming. Runs were donated through overthrows, misfields and worst of all, missed catches. Trescothick was one of the beneficiaries, edging a straightforward catch to Min Patel at second slip when he had scored eight – he had added a further 35 runs before Mark Ealham finally bowled him.

Man of the match Mike Burns, the Somerset top-scorer, was also dropped twice, although both chances were towards the end of his innings. He then showed the Kent fielders how to hold on to the ball when he took a blinding catch himself at point to dismiss Ealham.

Somerset had what Kent pointedly lacked – more than one batsman who could get quick runs. Ian Blackwell is an impressive player with the bat as his 49-ball 50 showed, in contrast to Kent for whom only Robert Key really displayed any fight.

But his near two-and-a-half hour innings needed feistier support. Sadly, none of his upper order team-mates proved capable of providing that. Not that the Somerset attack was allowing them much, even the big-hitting Key was restricted to a solitary boundary in the 106 balls he faced.

David Fulton had a dart early on, but when he became one of Caddick's two victims and departed lbw, it merely opened a door. James Hockley, Matthew Walker and Andrew Symonds all failed dismally, so by the time Fleming appeared the tie had tilted firmly Somerset's way.

Somerset's last appearance in a Lord's final was two years ago against Gloucestershire. They failed on that occasion, but with a home tie in next month's semi-final against Warwickshire, hopes will be high.