Somerset seal quarter-final place

FRIENDS PROVIDENT TROPHY, GROUP B, Canterbury
Somerset 296 beat Kent 251-9 by 45 runs (Somerset 2pts)

Kent v Somerset scorecard

Martin van Jaarsveld's first FP Trophy century of the season proved in vain

Somerset became the second team to book their place in the Friends Provident Trophy quarter-finals with a 44-run win over Kent at Canterbury.

Chasing 297, Martin van Jaarsveld made a one-man attempt to rescue his side, hitting over half their total with an unbeaten 132 out of 251-9.

But Somerset's earlier total of 296 all out had always looked daunting.

Justin Langer (77) and Zander de Bruyn (72) set up a fifth win in six Trophy ties with a fourth-wicket stand of 141.

That was enough to ensure that Somerset clinched a home quarter-final next Saturday (23 May) having further sealed their qualification as Group B winners.

Somerset are unbeaten in this year's Friends Provident Trophy

Justin Langer's side have beaten Kent (twice), Scotland, Middlesex, Warwickshire and suffered a rain-off against the Bears at Taunton

Martin van Jaarsveld hit his one-day best, his 132 not out coming from 125 balls, with 13 fours.

Batting first in ideal conditions having won the toss, Somerset looked on for a big scorer after a solid 63-run opening stand between Marcus Trescothick and Craig Kieswetter.

But it was the 141 in 19 overs between strapping South African right-hander de Bruyn and his diminutive, left-handed skipper that won the match.

At times Kent's attack struggled to contain them, particularly at the start of the Somerset batting powerplay when the pair added 33 in three overs.

The wheels then fell off the West Country wagon in spectacular fashion with the loss of six wickets for 20 inside five overs.

But the hosts could not capitalise, losing wickets steadily in reply, leaving man-of-the-match Van Jaarsveld to run out of partners despite his best score in limited-over cricket.

Having missed out with the bat earlier, former Kent all-rounder Peter Trego was determined to make an impact with the ball and did so with figures of 4-56.