Leicestershire and Somerset qualify for Champions League T20

Leicestershire and Somerset have qualified for the Champions League T20 after winning their respective England domestic T20 semis.

New Delhi: Leicestershire and Somerset have qualified for the Champions League Twenty20 tournament after winning their respective England domestic T20 semi-finals via one-over eliminators at Edgbaston.

Will Jefferson was the hero for Leicestershire in a rain-affected first semi-final, striking two fours and a six in the eliminator to overhaul Lancashire`s total of 13, while in the second semi-final, Somerset edged defending champions Hampshire to qualify for CLT20. In Somerset and Hampshire`s six-ball shootout, Craig Kieswetter and Jos Buttler scored 16 runs for Somerset before Alfonso Thomas limited Hampshire to five runs in reply. Somerset`s qualification means that West Indian Kieron Pollard became the first player to qualify for four teams at the CLT20 - Trinidad & Tobago, South Australia, Mumbai Indians and Somerset. Pollard has advised CLT20 he`ll play for Mumbai Indians next month after being named by Trinidad & Tobago and his IPL team in their final 15-man squads. The teams and match schedule for the 2011 Champions League Twenty20 has now been finalised. Leicestershire has been drawn in Qualifying Group B alongside Trinidad & Tobago and Sri Lanka`s Ruhunu, while Somerset will play Kolkata Knight Riders and Auckland in Qualifying Group A. The top three teams from the qualifier advance to the CLT20 main draw. PTI