Dexter steers Kent into semi-finals

Kent 259 for 5 (Dexter 101*, Key 73) beat Somerset 222 (Kieswetter 90) by 37 runs
Scorecard

Kent booked a semi-final meeting at Durham with a 37-run victory over Somerset at Beckenham thanks to a 113-ball hundred from Man of the Match Neil Dexter.

Dexter, who blasted an unbeaten 101, and Robert Key provided the bulk of Kent's runs after they had won the toss and opted to bat. Key and Joe Denly gave them a breezy start in an opening stand of 68, and then Key and Dexter maintained the momentum in adding 104 in 20 overs.

Dexter, who only came into the side after Martin van Jaarsveld withdrew for family reasons, rode his luck well - he was dropped at deep midwicket by Steffan Jones - rubbing salt in the wound by thumping Jones for a straight six soon after. Key also scored freely until he edged Ben Phillips to the keeper the ball after smashing him for six.

Dexter continued to score swiftly even though he found only fleeting support once Key had departed, reaching his hundred with two off the final ball of the innings.

Somerset lost Marcus Trescothick to a sharp second-slip catch in the fourth over, but Craig Kieswetter and Justin Langer appeared to put them on course with a solid second-wicket stand of 80. The innings checked after Langer was caught behind trying to run the ball to third man, and then really wobbled when Ian Blackwell was run out by a direct hit from Darren Stevens.

Somerset's remaining hope all but disappeared when Kieswetter was held on the midwicket boundary aiming for a fourth six, and their last four wickets added only 18 runs.

The game, which should have taken place at Canterbury yesterday, was switched to Beckenham after heavy storms left the St Lawrence Ground underwater.