Northants edge Somerset thriller to make Blast final

Northants edge Somerset thriller to make Blast finalImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Northants captain David Willey took 3-17 to lead the Steelbacks to their first T20 Blast final since 2016ByBen AshtonBBC Sport EnglandPublished4 minutes agoCommentsT20 Blast semi-final, EdgbastonNorthamptonshire Steelbacks 143 all out (19.2 overs): Lynn 39 (26); Ball 4-17, Meredith 3-21Somerset 126-9 (20 overs): Smeed 49 (35); Willey 3-17, Sanderson 3-28Northamptonshire Steelbacks won by 17 runsScorecardNorthamptonshire Steelbacks produced an excellent bowling display to beat defending champions Somerset by 17 runs and book their place in the T20 Blast final at Edgbaston.Somerset, who have won two of the past three Blast titles, were on top at the halfway stage after bowling Northants out for 143, thanks in large part to Jake Ball's 4-17.But the Steelbacks fought back incredibly with skipper David Willey leading the way with 3-17 to win the semi-final and reach the showpiece match for the first time since 2016, when they went on to win the competition.Defeat for Somerset, who were appearing in a sixth consecutive Finals Day, means the 23-year run of sides failing to retain the trophy since the Blast began in 2003 will go on.Follow live coverage of T20 Blast Finals DayFamiliar faces return for men's T20 Blast Finals DayPublished1 day agoSomerset made a bright start after winning the toss and choosing to bowl, reducing Northants to 26-3 inside five overs with Riley Meredith trapping Ricardo Vasconcelos in front for 15 before Craig Overton removed both Nathan McSweeney (1) and Willey (6) cheaply.Chris Lynn, the second top run-scorer in this season's T20 Blast so far, eventually got into his stride for the Steelbacks, hitting three fours and three sixes in a fourth-wicket stand of 65 runs with Saif Zaib to stage a recovery of sorts.But after Lynn was bowled by Ball's slower off-cutter for 39 from 26 balls to make it 91-4, the Steelbacks innings failed to gain...