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Leicestershire, Somerset qualify for Champions League T20

August 28, 2011 15:08 IST

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.

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