KENT captain Matthew Fleming remained gracious in defeat in Taunton after watching his side crash out of the Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy.

The visitors seemingly had the tie and a place in this month’s Lord’s final in the bag after a marvellous run-chase in pursuit of a hefty victory target of 345.

But holders Somerset claimed four wickets in the last two overs of the match to book their return trip to St John’s Wood on August 31.

Fleming said: "I’m incredibly proud of the way Kent chased that total. I’m not happy with the way we bowled or fielded, but I’m very proud that we got into a position where we should have won the game.

"Anyone who tells you it’s not the winning or losing that counts, it’s the taking part, has never lost a semi-final like that.

"But I’d like to thank all the Kent supporters who travelled down today. I believe there were well over 500 of them. They give us incredible support wherever we go and we are sorry we let them down.

"I must also pay tribute to Phil Frost the groundsman who should probably be man-of-the-match because that’s the best wicket I’ve ever played a one-day game on."

As it was, Ian Blackwell was named man-of-the-match for a rapid 86, his dismissal of Kent dangerman Andrew Symonds and a stunning catch to help remove Matthew Walker when well set on 35.

Yet even Blackwell’s skipper Jamie Cox, appeared stunned that Somerset had turned the game around right at the death. "The game was lost for a while there and only some magnificent bowling and fielding at the death enabled us to get it back," he said after the five-run win.