Record breaking Somerset win the Blast!
MATCH CENTRE
Somerset lifted the Vitality Blast trophy for the second time in three years following a stunning six-wicket win over Hampshire Hawks at Edgbaston.
Needing to score the highest ever total in a Blast final, the team from the Cooper Associates County Ground battled back brilliantly to claim victory by six wickets.
A superb team performance was capped off by a sensational 94 from 58 balls by Will Smeed.
Earlier, Hampshire had equaled the record for the highest score in a Blast final when they reached 194 for six from their allotted overs.
After winning the toss, Somerset skipper Lewis Gregory elected to bowl, but Hampshire openers Chris Lynn and Toby Albert raced to 24 without loss from the opening two overs.
However, Lynn, who scored the first ever Finals Day century in the semi final, miscued the first ball of the third over, bowled by Overton, to cover where Lewis Goldsworthy took the catch.
However, Lynn’s departure didn’t bring and early end to the fireworks. Albert brought up the Hampshire 50 with a big six off Migael Pretorius and followed it up with an even bigger maximum into the Hollies Stand off the next delivery. 25 runs came from the over, the fifth of the innings.
By the end of the six-over powerplay, the Hawks had reached an impressive 83 for one.
An edge for four by James Vince took the scoreboard past three figures in the ninth over and by the end of the 10th the team from Utilita had reached 107 for one.
Albert reached 50 from 29 balls and Vince followed him shortly thereafter from 32 deliveries. However, Vince fell for 52 when he looked for another maximum off Lewis Goldsworthy but Sean Dickson took a good catch on the run in the deep at 121 for two.
121 for two became 126 for three when Jake Ball took a brilliant diving one handed catch off his own bowling to remove James Fuller for one.
17 runs came from the 17th over, bowled by Ball as Hampshire passed the 150-mark.
Albert had reached 85 from 48 balls when he tried one big shot too many and was bowled by Gregory at 166 for four. It was a disappointing end to a fine innings for the 23-year-old.
Ball bowled the final over and he wrapped Ben Mayes on the pads with the fourth legal ball. The umpires are unmoved but Somerset reviewed and he was given out.
Ali Orr was run out by Tom Abell off the final delivery of the innings as Hampshire set Somerset 195 to win.
The highlight of the early stages of the Somerset reply occurred in the third over when Tom Kohler Cadmore smashed Chris Wood high over the Hollies Stand for the biggest six of the day.
Somerset had reached 46 in the fifth over when Sonny Baker made the breakthrough.
Kohler Cadmore had reached 23 from 14 balls when the England seamer yorked Somerset’s semi final hero.
Smeed brought up his side’s 50 in the sixth over, but Tom Abell (0) picked out Ben Mayes on the deep square leg boundary, and by the end of the powerplay Somerset were 55/2.
James Rew raced to 20 from 13 deliveries but when he dragged a Scott Currie full toss into his stumps Somerset were 89 for three in the 10th over.
Somerset reached 100 in the 12th over and Smeed went to 50 from 35 deliveries as Somerset refused to give up the fight.
Sean Dickson was given an extra life when Currie put down a regulation chance on the boundary in the 14th over, but whilst Smeed was still at the crease there was always hope.
59 were needed from the last five overs and although Hampshire were in the box seat, Somerset were still in the game.
The 150 came in the 17th, and then the turning point arrived.
The 18th over yielded 19 runs courtesy of two big sixes from Dickson.
Smeed finally fell to the opening ball of the 19th, but Gregory smashed the 18 required runs to take Somerset to a record total and a stunning win with an over to spare.
At the end of a dramatic day, Smeed said: “It’s unbelievable to have won the trophy. I think the key to our success is that we have got match-winners all down the list and we have a pretty settled side over the last few years so there is a lot of role clarity.
“I was pleased to score some runs tonight and to be honest was never thinking about a century. The only focus was on winning the game. The goal whenever you go out to chase in T20 is to come back not out and with the job done so I was disappointed to get out before the end but Lewis went in and smacked it so I couldn’t be happier.
“Nights like this are so special. Edgbaston is an amazing place to play. The atmosphere is always great and it felt like a home game tonight, to be honest.
“I think the most special thing is playing with your mates and helping them succeed. There is an amazing spirit in this squad and I think we’re going to have a great night tonight!”
