Hampshire hopes dashed by Somerset

The visitors already had top spot in the south group guaranteed with the game between Gloucesterhsire and Essex washed out.

They will now face Worcestershire in the quarter-finals.

But Hampshire’s hopes of reaching the knockout stages were dashed.

Two wickets apiece from Lewis Gregory, Roelof van der Merwe and Max Waller completed the victory in tense circumstances – as the hosts fell just one point short of a place in the last eight.

Jayawardene (55) and Somerset skipper Allenby (69) appeared in little trouble as they put on 108 for the first wicket.

But the stand ended when the former slogged Mason Crane to a slipping Jimmy Adams at long on.

Allenby departed nine overs later – spooning a catch to Gareth Berg at short fine leg, to start a regular wickets for the visitors.

Tom Abell fell for a duck when he was bowled round his legs by Crane (two for 48).

Peter Trego (31) was caught on the fine leg boundary by the spinner off the bowling of Brad Wheal (two for 36).

Gareth Andrew produced a stunning one-handed catch at backward point to see off James Hildreth (17) before Gregory was bowled by Liam Dawson (two for 42) for 28.

Ryan McLaren (two for 57) then returned to remove Ryan Davies and van der Merwe as Somerset reached 250 for nine.

In reply, Jimmy Adams and Tom Alsop (13) had reached 49 before the latter was leg before wicket to Gregory (two for 44).

Adams reached his half-century off 58 balls but, after facing just one more delivery, he was trapped in front by van der Merwe (two for 37).

Adam Wheater followed in the same fashion before Hampshire’s stand-in skipper Dawson (22) and Will Smith added 30 for the fourth wicket.

But the former became the fourth player to fall leg before wicket as the hosts felt the squeeze.

Smith reached 50 in 77 balls and received support from McLaren (14) and Lewis McManus (35).

But with the hosts needing 83 from the final 10 overs, they soon lost Smith (59) and Gareth Berg run out.

Andrew (20) and Wheal (13) made a fist of it – as they both struck late sixes.

But needing 14 from the last over, the duo were both dismissed by Tim Groenewald (three for 56).