Lancashire suffer relegation

Mark Turner picked up three wickets to lead Somerset to safety © Getty Images

Buy this photo

Somerset Sabres retained their NatWest Pro40 Division One status with a nail-biting three-wicket win over relegated Lancashire at Liverpool.

Whoever lost this clash would be relegated from the top flight for 2009, the last season of the 40-over competition.

And Somerset's win means Lancashire will play in the second tier of the competition for the first time since 2003.

Alfonso Thomas hit the winning runs with two balls to spare, taking eight runs off the final over, while Carl Gazzard finished unbeaten on 30.

Lancashire, asked to bat by Justin Langer, made the worst possible start as they slumped to 75 for seven thanks to a mix of questionable shot selection and good fielding and bowling.

Their last four wickets put on 81 runs to boost their total to 156 as Glen Chapple top-scored with 33 not out off 52 balls.

Peter Trego, Thomas and Zander de Bruyn all picked up two wickets apiece, while Mark Turner led the way with an impressive 3-39 from his eight overs. Charl Willoughby also got one.

Lou Vincent, Steven Croft (20), Francois Du Plessis, Gareth Cross and Tom Smith (18) were all guilty of poor shots for Lancashire.

And although Gary Keedy was stumped by Gazzard off the bowling of de Bruyn he at least showed the way with a compact 23 including two classical drives.

Not only was Somerset's bowling impressive, taking advantage of early movement through the air and off the pitch, their fielding was also slick.

Carl Gazzard took four catches in an excellent fielding display © Getty Images

Marcus Trescothick, Wes Durston and Arul Suppiah all grabbed sharp chances and wicketkeeper Gazzard claimed four dismissals.

Lancashire at least gave themselves some hope when Chapple bowled Trescothick and Oliver Newby had Langer caught behind by Cross to reduce the visitors to 34 for two.

Wicketkeeper Cross then dropped Suppiah on two off the bowling of Chapple which would have left the score 42 for three.

That was coupled with the fact that Newby conceded 34 runs in his opening five overs.

But Smith later trapped de Bruyn lbw for 18 to make the score 61 for three and Lancashire had put the squeeze on to halt the progress of the visitors.

Somerset were 54 for two after 10 overs but were 61 for three after 15.

Smith then got his second wicket, that of James Hildreth, courtesy of a fine catch at first slip by Paul Horton to leave the score at 83 for four.

Left-arm spinner Keedy bowled Suppiah for 33 and Croft had Trego caught behind down the leg-side by Cross. Somerset were 100 for six at that stage.

Keedy got his second when he trapped Wes Durston leg before to reduce the visitors to 121 for seven - meaning Somerset needed 36 from the last six overs.

However, they managed it, with Smith being Lancashire's bowling pick with one wicket for 25 runs from eight overs.