Marcus Trescothick showed what England will be missing in the final Ashes test with a devastating display of hitting to help Somerset reach their first Twenty20 final.

Trescothick has ruled himself out of making an international comeback but his powers are showing no sign of diminishing as he raced to a 27-ball half century in the semi-final against Kent at Edgbaston.

The left-hander produced an awesome display of hitting with his fifty containing eight fours and two sixes as the Sabres made light of their 146 target to win by seven wickets with seven balls to spare to set up a final clash with Sussex Sharks.

Now it remains to be seen whether Trescothick will be part of the Somerset squad which will travel to the lucrative Champions League in India in October because of his stress related illness.

Somerset followed the example of Sussex in the first semi-final by asking Kent to bat first and they took early wickets to put the Spitfires on the back foot.

Alfonso Thomas struck in each of his opening two overs with Joe Denley yorked for nought and Martin van Jaarsveld (10) trapped lbw.

It became 31 for three when former England wicket-keeper Geraint Jones (six) backed away to try and hit Charl Willoughby over cover and was bowled.

But Stevens showed his pedigree in this format of the game in helping Kent to a challenging total with the aid of solid support from Kent skipper Robert Key and Justin Kemp.

Stevens brought up his half century off only 40 balls with six fours and his partnership with Key (34) realised 62 in nine overs before the latter was bowled by Peter Trego.

The final over from Arul Suppiah cost 20 runs with Stevens twice lofting him for six over long on.

He was eventually run out attempting a second run to the final ball of the innings after making 77 from 51 balls with seven fours and two sixes.

Kemp was left unbeaten on 15 after helping Steven add 52 in five overs.

But Kent's recovery was soon put into perspective by Trescothick and his skipper Justin Langer who enjoyed an opening stand of 73 in seven overs.

It needed spinner James Tredwell to halt the run slaughter by removing Langer and Trescothick in successive overs.

Langer (17) was caught off a leading edge by Van Jaarsveld at cover and Trescothick (56) perished to Azhar Mahmood at backward point to leave the Sabres on 84 for two in the ninth over.

James Hildreth (36) and Zander de Bruyn (33 not out) were in a position where they had to take few risks after Trescothick's onslaught although the former went down the pitch to hit Wayne Parnell for a straight six.

Their third wicket stand of 57 in ten overs took Somerset to within five runs of victory before Hildreth was bowled by Mahmood in the penultimate over.