The rampaging South Group winners pulled out a 15-run victory at Taunton, designing Kent Spitfires’ hopes of snatching the final quarter-final spot in the Vitality Blast.
The home team launched a traditional attack after losing the toss, with Will Smeed scoring 61 off 28 balls, while Sean Dickson (41), Tom Kohler-Cadmore (31) and Lewis Gregory (37) also made substantial contributions to the total of 221 for 7. Although left-arm spinner George Linde led the Kent bowlers with 2 for 25, Grant Stewart, who had 4 for 48, was the most effective.
In response, the Spitfires scored 206 for 7 in an effort to pass Essex in the standings. Joey Evison scored 46 off 24 balls, Jack Leaning scored 41, and captain Sam Billings scored 36. It was Somerset’s 12th triumph in 14 group games, which is a competition record.
The visitors managed to dismiss Tom Banton early, caught and bowled off a waist-high Stewart full toss, but they were unable to stop Somerset from scoring 63 runs off the first six overs of the powerplay. A real batting pitch with a short boundary on the town side of the ground was quickly being utilized by Will Smeed. He and Kohler-Cadmore produced a string of beautifully struck boundaries in response to the loss of Banton.
When Kohler-Cadmore was caught at long-on off Stewart, after only facing 18 balls, the score had reached 72 in the eighth over after both had successfully cleared the ropes during the power play.
With his fourth six, which he sent over cover off Stewart, Smeed passed 2000 T20 runs. He then went on to a 23-ball fifty, much to the joy of the Cooper Associates County Ground’s packed house.
When 21-year-old Smeed swiped a ball from Linde and was caught at deep backward square with the total 103 in the tenth over, another thrilling combination of powerful blows and exquisite touches came to an end.
Also hit by a sweep shot from Linde, Tom Abell lost his footing, and Jordan Cox made a spectacular diving catch. However, Dickson made sure that the scoring tempo didn’t slow down by smashing three sixes and two fours in a 47-run stand with Gregory in less than five overs. Although Gregory’s 19-ball innings ensured Somerset a difficult total, the former Kent star was eventually caught behind off what would have been Stewart’s wide.
Tawanda Muyeye, who had already been dropped by Dickson at deep midwicket, blasted a six off the first ball of the second over from Matt Henry before taking a catch at mid-on with the following ball, dealing an early blow to Kent’s attempts to chase it down.
Before being run out backing up after the New Zealand seamer fingertipped a drive from Billings onto the stumps, Alex Blake briefly posed a threat, smacking a massive six off Henry and racing to 24 off just 10 balls.
Billings started out cautiously but got his first boundary off Ben Green in the seventh over when he grabbed a ball from outside off stump and sent it over deep square. The Spitfires were still in the game after finishing the powerplay at 63 for 3.
Before Somerset’s captain responding by dismissing Billings with the final ball of the ninth over, Billings had already welcomed the arrival of legspinner Ish Sodhi with a six over long-on and was getting comfortable with his assignment with a series of boundaries off Gregory. As 17 came off the 11th over, Leaning answered with a six over deep square off Overton and a four to third-man.
Kent needed 103 runs from the final eight balls when Linde was caught at long off by seasoned New Zealander Sodhi. Leaning and Evison delivered a few resolute smashes that decreased the target from five to 69.
Before Somerset’s captain responded by dismissing Billings with the final ball of the ninth over, Billings had already welcomed the arrival of leg spinner Ish Sodhi with a six over long-on and was getting comfortable with his assignment with a series of boundaries off Gregory. As 17 came off the 11th over, Leaning answered with a six over deep square off Overton and a four to third-man.
Kent needed 103 runs from the final eight balls when Linde was caught at long off by seasoned New Zealander Sodhi. Leaning and Evison delivered a few resolute smashes that decreased the target from five to 69.
When the 16th over was released, Evison then hit Green for six. Leaning then followed up by getting Davey to clear the ropes, but when Davey was bowled by Gregory two overs later after facing 30 balls, Somerset recovered momentum. Evison’s heroic effort came to an end when he was caught by Henry, ending Kent’s hopes.