Somerset beat Leicestershire to reach One-Day Cup final

Lewis Goldsworthy's previous highest One-Day Cup score was 111 against Warwickshire in 2022

Metro Bank One-Day Cup semi-final: Somerset win by 23 runs

Somerset 334-4 (50 overs): Goldsworthy 115*, Rew 71, Umeed 57, Thomas 47

Leicestershire 311-9 (50 overs): Handscomb 111, Cox 49, Holland 40; Green 3-63, Aldridge 2-41, Davey 2-54

Scorecard

Somerset booked a place in the One-Day Cup final as they won a stunning game of 645 runs against holders Leicestershire at Taunton.

The Ciderboys, who won the last 50-over final at Lord's in 2019 before the competition was downgraded, will face 2021 winners Glamorgan at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, on Sunday 22 September.

Having been put in to bat by the Foxes, Somerset made the most of it as they piled up 334-4, largely inspired by Lewis Goldsworthy's 115 not out off 86 balls, well backed by 71 from James Rew.

Australia's Peter Handscomb then hit 111 to keep the Foxes in the hunt, but they were already up against the clock when he went - and when he holed out off Jack Davey, the game was up.

Somerset got off to a comparatively sluggish start in an opening stand of 91 in 19 overs between openers Andy Umeed and George Thomas.

Tom Scriven then broke through to remove Thomas for 47, before Umeed went eight overs left for 57, the first of two victims for Roman Walker.

But the hosts upped the pace in a stand of 121 in 17 overs between Goldsworthy - who played for Leicestershire in this year's T20 Blast - and Rew, before Sean Dickson and Benny Green both cleared the ropes as they added further late ballast to post 334-4.

Andy Umeed has hit more than 1,000 One-Day Cup runs for Somerset over the past two summers

After a rapid 33 off 28 balls from Sol Budinger, the Foxes looked sure to buckle when thney lost skipper Lewis Hill, opener Ian Holland and India star Ajinkya Rahane for just 20 runs in the space of 25 balls.

There was still hope for them when Handscomb was joined by Ben Cox to add 131 in 20 overs.

But, on the ground where he made his name as a 17-year-old Worcestershire schooolboy 16 years ago, Cox was crucially caught behind off Kasey Aldridge, who then caught Louis Kimber when he holed out cheaply off Jack Leach before also bagging Liam Trevaskis.

Three more wickets gone this time in 13 balls, although it was 48 runs later when Handscomb was finally out before the Foxes knew that there would be no repeat of last year's miracle comeback victory in the final.

Peter Handscomb got a generous ovation from the Taunton crowd when he was finally out - but his ton proved in vain

Somerset centurion Lewis Goldsworthy told BBC Radio Somerset:

“At the start of the day if anyone had said we would score 340 we’d have taken it, especially batting first.

“We paced our innings really well and also closed it out well at the end. Having wickets in hand helped a lot.

“The pitch was tough and you needed to take 20 or 25 balls to get in. James Rew and I did that and the more we faced, the more we adjusted.

“I’d say it was the best I have played in one-day cricket. Rewy and I have batted together a lot - and the right-hand, left-hand combination helps.”

Leicestershire centurion Peter Handscomb told BBC Radio Leicester:

“Somerset batted really well, laying a platform in the first 30 overs from which they were able to accelerate.

“It’s good to see Goldy making runs, but a shame it was against us. We really enjoyed having him at our club on loan.

“If the opportunity came to do so again we would grab it with both hands. He is such a good kid and works really hard on his game, so I’m happy for him.

“It was great to win this trophy last year. This season, with more players going off to The Hundred, the strength in depth has been evident. Other guys came in and did well and the club is in great shape going forward.”