Somerset all out for 145 from final ball of their 20 overs in the final; Sean Dickson top scores with 53
Matt Henry and Ish Sodhi share seven wickets as Somerset bowl out Essex for 131 to win by 14 runs
Essex beat holders Hampshire by five wickets (DLS Method) in first semi-final
Joe Weatherley hits unbeaten 63 to help Hants post 170-7
Essex reach revised 12-over target of 115 after rain, with three balls to spare
Somerset beat Surrey by 24 runs in second semi-final
Surrey limit Somerset to 142-7 but dismissed for 118 in reply
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Somehow we need to get Phil Salt and Michael Pepper playing in the same team.
Paul in Wimbledon, via WhatsApp
Essex 42-1 (target 115 from 12 overs)
After Michael Pepper swings and misses, keeper Ben McDermott also misses the flighted first ball and it races away for four byes. That's a freebie for Essex.
Pepper launches the next delivery just over extra-cover for two and then gets another couple in similar fashion from the third ball. The field is rearranged as a result.
Ball number five is deposited over the rope at long-on by Dan Lawrence and a leg-side clip makes it 16 off the over. Good one for Essex.
73 from 42 is the ask.
Alex Hartley
Former England bowler on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra
The weather to the left of us is dark and gloomy, but I think we will get the five overs in.
Essex 26-1 (target 115 from 12 overs)
Nathan Ellis' first ball is hammered thriough extra cover by Dan Lawrence for four but only three further singles off the last five balls of the shortened powerplay.
89 from 48 required.
Benny Howell comes on to bowl the next over.
Image source, PA MediaAlways plenty of fancy dress fans at Finals Day.
Image source, PA MediaEssex 20-1 (target 115 from 12 overs)
Leg bye off the last ball.
Nathan Ellis gets the fourth over.
95 from 54 needed.
Essex 19-1 (target 115 from 12 overs)
Players and umpires are back in the middle... one ball remaining of Chris Wood's rain-interrupted over.
The calculators are back in the drawer and Essex now know exactly what they need to do... score 96 off 55 balls.
They chased down 168 on this very ground just last week. Can they thwart Hampshire's attempts to become the first team to defend the Blast title?
Glenn Maxwell
Australia all-rounder on BBC 5 Sports Extra
Finals Day is a special day in the English calendar, and every player is desperate to get there. A lot of clubs hold this high in their priorities.
Essex 19-1 (target 171)
Yes, looks like Ged, as usual, is indeed correct.
News from the middle. When they get back out there in eight or so minutes, Essex's revised target will be 115 from 12 overs.
Hampshire 170-7, Essex 19-1 (2.5 overs)
Ged Scott
BBC Sport at Edgbaston
The sun is out again, and the Edgbaston Water Hog is working as hard as it can removing surface water from the covers.
And the groundstaff are now unfurling one side of the covers on the Hollies Stand side, to muted cheers.
This show might not take too long to get back on the road.
That's the good news.
But the bad news is that the skies overhead do still look ugly. And, having not yet reached the five-over stage when DLS rules come into effect, the second semi-final, scheduled for 14:30 BST, looks like it is going to be delayed.
And the huge rumble of thunder we have just heard is particularly worrying. But we have just been told we have a 1:45 restart.
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South Group has not only provided all four finalists, but it leads the way in every stats category too.
James Vince scoring 670 runs – by far the most in the competition – while Somerset’s Ben Green is the leading wicket-taker with 27 in 15 appearances at an average of just over 17. Somerset's 12 wins were a record for the group stage.
Sean Abbott of Surrey had the highest strike rate with 189.77 and averaged just under 42 across his seven innings with the bat. This was thanks in large part to a sensational 110* against Kent at the Oval in which the Australian all-rounder reached three figures in just 34 balls – equalling the competition record set by countryman Andrew Symonds.
Abbott gave up the last-ball six which ensured it was Essex which progressed to the knockout stages on the final afternoon, ahead of Kent.
Hampshire quick John Turner’s economy rate of 6.43 is the best in the competition.
The group also featured the biggest domestic run-chase in T20 history as Middlesex overhauled Surrey’s monster 252-7 at the Oval with four balls to spare and seven wickets in hand.
Image source, BBC SportEssex 19-1 (target 171)
It's either the weather or perhaps pacman who is eating into Essex's 20 overs.
The mopping up operation is underway but it is not going to be a 20-over reply, given the amount of cricket we need to get through today.
Image source, Ged ScottBirmingham Bears topped the North group table, and were joined in the quarter finals by Lancashire Lightning, Worcestershire Rapids and Notts Outlaws.
The Bears-Outlaws clash on 30 June saw Outlaws quickie Shaheen Afridi take four wickets in the first over of the Bears' innings, but they recovered to overhaul a target of 169 with five balls to spare.
But the quarter-finals didn't go well for the North's qualifiers, with all four losing to their southern counterparts.
The Bears' good group campaign came to naught when Essex pipped them with two deliveries to spare.
Image source, BBC SportRight, the good news is that the covers are again coming off and the rain has stopped.
The bad news is that it will take a while for things to dry out.
So in the meantime, let's grab a reminder of how this year's T20 Blast group stages went...
Essex 19-1 (target 171)
Both clubs had Tweeted that a resumption was originally scheduled for 13:05 BST.
But that was obviously 10 minutes ago - and the restart has been delayed because the rain came back.
Essex 19-1 (target 171)
Image source, BBC SportThe outlook basically seems different depending on what part of the ground you're sat...
Image source, BBC SportEssex 19-1 (target 171)
Brollies are coming down and the covers are coming off. The rain seems to have relented.
Fingers crossed we get a resumption relatively imminently - as long as the showers don't start again of course.
There's probably a bit of outfield-drying-out to be done too...
Essex 19-1 (target 171)
It was always likely that the weather was going to play a part today, given the forecast.
Very apt that the biggest contribution in the 23 overs possible thus far came from Mr Weatherley himself.
The weather radar suggests we might be off for a little while, though there are brighter skies to the south west, which is the direction from which this sharp shower has snuck up.
Aatif Nawaz
BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra
I fear we could be in for a frustrating wait here.
But forecasts have proved to be hit and miss in the last few weeks.
Essex 19-1 (target 171)
Chris Wood continues.
Liam Dawson narrowly misses a spectacular over the shoulder catch at long on after the ball was sliced into the wind by Dan Lawrence .
A one-bounce four for Michael Pepper through mid-wicket from the fourth delivery might make Essex fans feel better. He has 11 from 10 balls.
But what's this? Covers coming on. Oh dear.
38-1 after five overs would constitute a game. We are not there yet.