SOMERSET are through to Finals Day of the Vitality Blast for the fourth time in as many years after beating Northamptonshire by 17 runs. 

In front of a packed house at Wantage Road, that included many who had made the long trip from West Somerset, on a murky Thursday evening , the visitors were asked to bat first and lost Will Smeed with the total on 10 which brought Tom Kohler-Cadmore in to join Tom Banton.

After a couple of lusty blows fell just short Banton smote his first six of the innings in the fifth over.

Kohler-Cadmore  struggled to get going  initially,  while Banton was making hay and took 18, including two big two sixes off the eighth over. He duly went to his half century with two off Saif Zaib, his runs coming off 36 balls with four fours and three sixes.

Kohler-Cadmore then hit his first six which Banton followed up next ball but one with another big shot over the boundary as the pair took 23 off the 11th over.

The second wicket pair added 125 in 11 overs before he tried to hit one big six too many and was caught on the boundary for 75.

Kohler-Cadmore went to his 50 with three off Jack White in the 15th over which came off 38 balls with two fours and four sixes. With the score on 171 Kohler-Cadmore was out for 63 after which Sean Dickson, who was unbeaten on 33, and Gregory not out 20, saw the Cidermen end on 215 for three.

Craig Overton gave the visitors a great start when he had former team mate Bartlett caught by Kohler-Cadmore off the penultimate ball of the first over.

Home skipper David Willey  who was always the danger man. lifted the home crowds spirits when ht hit Josh Davey for the first six of the innings in the fourth over. Willey and Ricardo Vasconcelos started to build a partnership but on 30 the latter was out for 30. Willey brought up his 50 with a single off Davey his runs coming off 35 balls with one four and four sixes. The 150 came up in the 16th over and next ball Zaid skied Gregory’s final ball and was caught by Abell at mid on for 32.

Eventually Willey was out caught at mid wicket by Van der Merwe for 57, which proved to be the end of Northants’ serious challenge as the hosts entered the last over needing 38 to win.

In the end Northants finished on 198, giving Somerset victory by 17 runs and a place at Finals Day to keep their hopes of the treble - the championship, the one day cup and the T20 alive.