Sabres relegate Lightning

Gazzard: Crucial innings

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Somerset Sabres retained their NatWest Pro40 League Division One status, but condemned opponents Lancashire to relegation with a tense three-wicket victory at Liverpool on Sunday.

With loser of the contest falling through the Division One trapdoor, a nervy contest was always on the cards and so it proved, but ultimately it was Lancashire who emerged as the fall-guys and they will now play in the second tier of the competition for the first time since 2003.

The hosts posted a modest total of 156 and Somerset chased them down with two balls to spare, Alfonso Thomas hitting the winning runs as he took eight from the final over.

Lancashire, asked to bat by Justin Langer, got off to a woeful start and never truly recovered as they slumped to 75 for seven.

Lou Vincent (11), Steven Croft (20), Francois Du Plessis (nine), Gareth Cross (two) and Tom Smith (18) were all guilty of poor shots as Somerset - led by the impressive Mark Turner (3-39) - cut through the top order.

In the end, the hosts were indebted to their final four wickets for a respectable total with Glen Chapple playing a fine hand with 33 not out off 52 balls.

Indeed, Chapple gave Lancashire hope when they took the field as he snared Marcus Trescothick early on for just eight with a delivery that got through the left-hander's defences.

Oliver Newby had Langer caught behind by Cross to reduce the visitors to 34 for two and wicketkeeper Cross then dropped Arul Suppiah on two off the bowling of Chapple which would have left the score 42 for three.

Lancashire did manage to restrict runs but struggled to make the inroads into the Somerset top-order that they needed.

But Suppiah eventually went for a belligerent 33 off 68 balls as he was bowled by Gary Keedy and when Croft had Peter Trego caught behind down the leg-side by Cross the game did look Lancashire's for the taking as the visitors found themselves 100-6.

But Carl Gazzard (30 not out) came together with Thomas to guide Somerset home with the Sabres making the 36 they needed from their final six overs to escape relegation.