Gloucs set up final re-match

Spearman's 143 not out proved crucial as Gloucestershire beat Yorkshire by five wickets at Bristol.

"It was an innings which deserved to be on the winning side. That kept the chase well in reach," said Alleyne.

"The match was pretty special. I really enjoyed it. It was good to be out there and to book another final spot."

But Alleyne said that although Spearman would grab the headlines, it was the team play that had earned trophy holders Gloucestershire yet another trip to Lord's.

"Other guys, Mike Smith, Jon Lewis and Martyn Ball bowled particularly well," he said.

"We have won a lot of games here in Bristol, but it's just because we play some good cricket.

Lehmann's innings of 80 was not enough for Yorkshire

"We have got some good cricketers in our squad and we had some tough decision this week. We had to leave four quality cricketers out and competition's high."

Victory means Gloucestershire have reached their fourth C&G final since 1999 - and they have won the other three.

They also won the Benson & Hedges cup in 1999 and 2000.

New Zealand-born Spearman was modest despite his brilliant knock, which came off just 122 balls.

"I realise I'm not the prettiest, but I know what I can and cannot do, and I just try and do what I do well," he said.

"It's my job to achieve that run rate at the start. To bat through to the end is the way everybody says to play. I'm just pleased to go back to Lord's again."

He added: " "In one-day cricket it is probably the best innings I have played, full stop."

Disappointed Yorkshire captain Matthew Wood, standing in for injured Craig White, acknowledged Spearman had been the difference between the two teams.

"It feels really bad right now," he said.

"But fair play. Craig Spearman played really well in the second half and they probably deserved to win it overall.

"We felt at half-time that we had got a decent score, but Spearman showed the value of having someone go through the innings.

"I think it was a wicket on which everyone else struggled but he made batting look easy. He was probably the difference between the two teams."