Rews to the fore as Somerset advance to semi-final against Worcestershire

Somerset romped through to the Metro Bank One-Day Cup semi-finals with a comprehensive six-wicket victory over arch-rivals Gloucestershire at the Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton.

The visitors were bowled out for a disappointing 155 in 40.5 overs after winning the toss, skipper Jack Taylor top-scoring with 43. There were three wickets each for Jake Ball and Tom Lammonby, while Jack Leach sent down ten overs of left-arm spin for miserly figures of 2 for 23.

Two rain-interruptions left Somerset facing a revised target of 149 in 45 overs. They reached it with more than 13 overs to spare, skipper James Rew leading the way with 46, and now face a trip to meet Worcestershire in the semi-finals on Sunday.

Gloucestershire never recovered from losing James Bracey, so prolific in the competition this season, to the second ball of the match, bowled by Ball pushing forward defensively. The decision to bat first had come as a surprise as play began under heavily overcast skies, with the floodlights on, and a threat of rain later in the day.

Cameron Bancroft looked in good touch, striking two big sixes in a half-century stand for the second wicket with Ollie Price. It was 56 for 2 in the 14th over when the Australian, on 34, played a checked drive to Kasey Aldridge and saw the bowler take a juggling return catch.

Price had made 25 when judged lbw to a ball from Lammonby angled into his pads and 97 for 4 as Ben Charlesworth was caught at mid-on aiming a back-foot forcing shot off the left-arm seamer. Lammonby had figures of three for 20 when Graeme van Buuren popped up a soft return catch and departed for a duck looking suspiciously at the pitch.

At 97 for 5, Gloucestershire were in disarray. With 29 runs added, Tommy Boorman fell leg-before sweeping a ball from Leach, who followed up by having Daaryoush Ahmed brilliantly caught by Aldridge racing towards the long-on boundary from mid-off and taking the ball just inside the rope as it dropped over his shoulder.

Jack Taylor drove a catch to mid-off give Ben Green a wicket, having faced 59 balls and hit six fours. With his departure at 140 for 8 went Gloucestershire's last hope of a meaningful total and Ball wrapped up the innings as Matt Taylor and Craig Miles edged through to wicketkeeper James Rew.

Somerset's reply had reached 16 without loss when the forecast rain arrived at 2.25pm. Play resumed at 3.50pm, with no initial reduction in overs or the victory target, and with just five runs added Archie Vaughan was superbly caught by wicketkeeper Bracey diving low to his right off Matt Taylor.

Lewis Goldsworthy pulled a six off Taylor before Lammonby, on 18, played a loose drive at Craig Miles' second delivery of the game, well wide off off stump, and gave a routine catch to Bracey with the total on 47 in the 12th over.

At 53 for 2, rain forced a further 25 minute break and the overs and target were reduced. James Rew quickly settled in, lofting a ball from van Buuren over long-off for six as he and Goldsworthy added 39 for the third wicket before the latter fell for 27, caught and bowled off a leading edge in Ahmed's first over.

Having survived a loud appeal for a catch behind off Josh Shaw, the Somerset captain prospered in tandem with younger brother Thomas Rew, who took a six and four off an Ahmed over before pulling Jack Taylor's first ball of the match over deep square for another maximum.

Taylor had Rew senior stumped by Bracey having faced 53 balls, but by then the outcome was beyond doubt and his precocious sibling saw Somerset home, ending unbeaten on 40 off just 39 deliveries.