Cricket Dickson delight after his heroics secure Finals Day spot

SEAN Dickson hammered a magnificent 71 off 26 balls to see Somerset through to Vitality Blast Finals Day with a nerve-tingling four-wicket victory over Birmingham Bears at the Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton.

- By RICHARD LATHAM

The visitors posted 190-6 after winning the toss, with Alex Davies top-scoring with 71 off just 39 balls, with 13 fours. Rob Yates provided a lightning start with 25 off 10 deliveries, but Ben Green’s 2-30 enabled Somerset to peg their opponents back.

Even so, it took a stupendous knock from Dickson, who blasted five fours and six sixes, to see the home side to victory with just one ball to spare. Tom Abell made 51, while Oliver Hannon-Dalby claimed 3-24.

After guiding Somerset to a Vitality Blast semifinal against Lancashire Lightning, Dickson said: “I have never played a better one-day innings. There is a lot of love for me around the ground at the moment and I’m delighted to have played such a special knock for our wonderful supporters.

“With 19 needed off the final over, I just thought of hitting three sixes to win the game. The ball arrived in my slot and I was able to strike the required shots to see us home.

“The feeling in the dressing room is one of ecstasy. Winning a game like that will give us great momentum going into Finals Day.

“Lancashire will be tough. But there is so much confidence in our squad and we will again have tremendous support to feed off.”