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Dwayne Bravo started off with two quick wickets to put the ball in the hosts’ court.
Deccan skipper, Adam Gilchrist did not disappoint, as he hit a sparkling 36-ball 51, before Kieron Pollard took the catch of the match on the long-on boundary, diving full stretch to get rid of the dangerous Australian.
Still, at 125 for five, Deccan were sitting pretty with Scott Styris (14) and Venugopal Rao (30) on a roll.
But Styris got himself run out, setting off for a non-existent single and could not turn back quickly enough.
That signalled the beginning of the end, as Rao went soon thereafter and the tail were at sixes and sevens against Dawyne Bravo and Lendl Simmons, losing three wickets for 16 runs in the final three overs.
Man-of-the-match Bravo finished with figures of 3/24 and said
afterwards, "A great team effort, we beat the IPL champions and it's a
great feeling for us.
If I had ten runs to defend in the last over, I'd back myself to defend it. Lendl Simmons bowled a very good previous over as well. I hope I continue to lead from the front with the ball. As a unit we are very happy."
Earlier, a gritty performance by Deccan Chargers kept Trinidad & Tobago to 149 for seven.
Being asked to bat first, T&T reached 39/1 after only four overs, courtesy of some indifferent bowling from RP Singh who could not settle into any sort of rhythm at all.
Two run-outs and a second leg-before wicket for Fidel Edwards, however, put the skids under the team from the Caribbean.
It was left to the big Kieron Pollard to hit a 31-run cameo needing only 14 deliveries, to give the innings some late impetus.
Edwards was without doubt the star of the home side's innings, taking 3/32 in his four overs.
Deccan Chargers’ exit means that Somerset now progress to the next stage of the competition.
Gilchrist summed up their performance, "It is disappointing, to be so close to a couple of times is frustrating. We didn't do the basics well - we were sloppy early on, quite a few misfields, we faltered with both bat and ball. The fitness levels were fine, we are professionals. It's an extraordinary couple of games, and at this ground we don't know what will happen. We may have to move."
T&T captain, Darren Ganga, was understandably very happy.
"It shows our character, we held our nerves in the end. Deccan fought hard, we wanted to come out here and win and take two points into the next round. When yo have passionate supporters in the stands, they've should a lot of faith in us, so we as players, must give them something in return.
"With all the "crap" that has been going on in the Caribbean, this win comes at the right time. We didn't play our perfect game but I'm sure things will improve. Dwayne has all the experience of a senior player, all the bowlers contributed. It was a total team effort."
Teams:
Deccan Chargers: VVS Laxman, AC Gilchrist (capt & wk), TL Suman, A Symonds, RG Sharma, SB Styris, Y Venugopal Rao, Abhinav Kumar, PP Ojha, RP Singh, FH Edwards Trinidad & Tobago: LMP Simmons, WKD Perkins, DJ Bravo, D Ganga (capt), DM Bravo, KA Pollard, D Ramdin (wk), S Ganga, D Mohammed, R Rampaul, S Badree
