Leicestershire are the new T20 champions of UK. The English county side defeated Somerset by 18 runs in the Friends Life T20 final on Saturday night at Edgbaston.
Chasing 146 to win, Somerset's star-studded line-up couldn’t deliver n the night as the county lost their third consecutive domestic T20 final. On a rain-hit night, Somerset were comfortably placed at reached 89 for 3 in the 14th over but lost their way to finish with 127 for 9 and loss by .
This is Leicestershier’s third Twenty20 title, having won the competition in 2004 and 2006.
It was a befitting farewall for Leicetershire’s retiring wicketkeeper Paul Nixon. The 40-year-old will retire after the Champions League Twenty20 tournament in India.
All-rounder Josh Cobb was the main reason for Somerset’s downfall. The leggie took four wickets (4-22), took a catch and effected a ran out. He was named the man-of-the-match.
Needing 146, Somerset’s chase started on a slow note, but just as they were looking to accelerate, captain Matthew Hoggard claimed Marcus Trescothick (16) in the fifth over. Somerset were 36-1 at the end of the powerplay.
They continued to struggle to build any momentum as Craig Kieswetter was bowled for 17.
Leicestershire's bowlers continued to frustrate Somerset batsmen. The arrival of the big-hitting Kieron Pollard failed to inspire Trescothick's side as he scored just one run before succumbing to a stunning Nixon catch off Wayne White's delivery.
Peter Trego (35) quickly followed before Suppiah was run out for a duck by Cobb two balls later to leave Somerset heading towards another 20-over cricket final loss.
After Cobb claimed the wickets of Buttler and Alfonso Thomas, both caught by Boyce to take his tally of catches in the game to four, Somerset's chances of securing a first domestic Twenty20 final win since 2005 looked doomed.
Craig Meschede was caught by Jacques du Toit off Razzaq and Somerset ended 18 runs short of their target.
Somerset were in the final for the third year in a row, having been beaten by Sussex in 2009 and Hampshire in 2010.
Earlier, the Foxes rode on the back of a 70-run partnership between Will Jefferson (35) and Abdul Razzaq (33) to reach a competitive 145-6.
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