SOMERSET THROUGH TO LORD'S FINAL AS TUNER AND DUTCH FIGHT BACK AGAINST WARWICKSHIRE

The home side had been 6-3 after 17 balls of their reply to Warwickshire's 228-8 and looked to be staring at defeat.

Even after skipper Jamie Cox (47), Keith Parson's (31) and Ian Blackwell (30) had steadied the ship, Somerset were 130-6 when Turner and Dutch came together.

The pair played with supreme sense and skill in an unbroken partnership of exactly 100, which ensured victory with four overs to spare.

Man-of-the-Match Dutch hit a sparkling 61 not out, reaching his half-century off just 46 balls, with 5 fours. Turner was equally sound in defence and also produced some fine shots in his unbeaten 42.

It was a dramatic turnaround from the opening overs when Marcus Trescothick was bowled by Dougie Brown shouldering arms. Simon Carter sent back Peter Bowler for a duck to a loose cut shot and Mike Burns fell to Brown, also without scoring.

Warwickshire were cock-a-hoop. But in the end Somerset's long batting line-up served them well and took them to a second Lord's final in three years.

Earlier, Burns made another telling contribution as Somerset restricted their opponents to a manageable total.

The former Warwickshire player, who won the man-of-the-match award for his batting in the quarter-final win over Kent, this time produced miserly figures of 2-30 from ten overs of medium pace after Cox had won the toss.

Openers Nick Knight and Mark Wagh had overcome a glut of short-pitched balls from Andy Caddick to post a century stand in overcast conditions.

Knight survived a nasty blow on the helmet (though he later visited hospital as a precaution) from the England pace bowler, but was never fluent in scoring 45, while Wagh was more in control in contributing a stylish 46.

Just as Warwickshire were looking to accelerate from a strong base, Burns and Parsons applied the brakes, taking two wickets each.

At 129-4, Somerset had taken a grip. But Trevor Penney and Mike Powell did their best to restore parity with a fifth-wicket stand of 70 in 14 overs before Powell was yorked by Richard Johnson for 39.

Penney also made 39, off just 42 balls, before his typically breezy knock ended with a mistimed drive to Burns at deep mid-off, with the total 214-6, giving Johnson a second wicket in the 49th over.

Johnson struck again to send back Neil Smith for figures of 3-42 and when Vasbert Drakes was bowled by the last ball of the innings, sent down by Jones, Warwickshire's total did not look sufficient.

WARWICKSHIRE SUFFER FROM BURNS' CONTRIBUTION

The former Warwickshire player, who won the man-of-the-match award for his batting in the quarter-final win over Kent, this time produced miserly figures of 2-30 from ten overs of medium-pace after Somerset had won the toss.

Openers Nick Knight and Mark Wagh had overcome a glut of short-pitched balls from Andy Caddick to post a century stand in overcast conditions.

Knight survived a nasty blow on the helmet from the England pace bowler, but was never fluent in scoring 45, while Wagh was more in control in contributing a stylish 46.

But just as Warwickshire were looking to accelerate from a strong base, Burns and Keith Parsons applied the brakes, taking two wickets each.

Parsons produced a fine caught and bowled with his outstretched left hand to send back Wagh with the total on 101. Three runs later Dougie Brown got a leading edge to Burns and gave a simple catch to Richard Johnson at mid-off.

It was 125-3 when a frustrated Knight was bowled playing across a full-length ball from Parsons. And that became 129-4 as David Hemp was well caught by the diving Keith Dutch at short mid-wicket off Burns.

Somerset had taken a grip. But Trevor Penney and Mike Powell did their best to restore parity with a fifth-wicket stand of 70 in 14 overs before Powell was yorked by Richard Johnson for 39.

Penney also made 39, off just 42 balls, before his typically breezy knock ended with a mistimed drive to Burns at deep mid-off, with the total 214-6, giving Johnson a second wicket in the 49th over.

Johnson struck again to send back Neil Smith for figures of 3-42 and when Vasbert Drakes was bowled by the last ball of the innings, sent down by Jones, Warwickshire's total did not look sufficient.

© CricInfo

Date-stamped : 11 Aug2001 - 22:29