Trego's 70 takes Somerset through after Leicestershire go out

(AFP)

Somerset qualified for the group stage of the Champions League with an 11-run win over Kolkata Knight Riders in Hyderabad yesterday.

Peter Trego's innings of 70 led them to 166 for 6 and the Knight Riders' total of 155 for 8 meant they qualified with them, by virtue of a better net run rate than Pool B runners-up Ruhuna Rhinos. Trego batted throughout the 20 overs and put on 72 at eight an over with Roelof van der Merwe, who made 40 from 25 balls before he was caught by Jacques Kallis off Jaidev Unadkat.

In Kolkata's reply, Manvinder Bisla hit a huge six in the opening over but was run out from the first ball of the next after a calamitous mix-up with Kallis, who made just one before chipping out to Murali Kartik.

Somerset received a further boost after the England and Wales Cricket Board confirmed that wicketkeeper-batsmen Craig Kieswetter and Jos Buttler will fly out to the tournament on Monday, the day after England's second Twenty20 match against the West Indies.

Earlier Leicestershire were eliminated as they slipped to a four-run defeat at the hands of Ruhuna Rhinos.

England will face India and a qualifier – which could be Ireland or Scotland – in their group at the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka next September.