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Essex v Somerset: Vitality Blast Double Header – Preview
THE MATCHES
Somerset continue the 2025 Vitality Blast with a double header against Essex at the Ambassador Cruise Line Ground, Chelmsford tomorrow (Sunday June 1st).
Essex Women v Somerset Women will begin at 12pm.
Essex Men v Somerset Men will begin at 4pm.
Tickets for this double header are still available.
HOW CAN I KEEP UP TO DATE?
You can keep up to date using the dedicated Match Centre on this website which will feature a live stream of the action courtesy of Essex CCC.
In-play updates will also appear on our X feed (formerly Twitter).
In addition to this, a report on the day’s play along with quotes will be posted on this website.
THE OPPOSITION
ESSEX WOMEN
Captain: Grace Scrivens
Overseas players: Maddie Penna (Australia, full competition)
Key winter moves: Seasoned opener and wicketkeeper Lauren Winfield-Hill has moved to Chelmsford on a loan deal from Yorkshire for the duration of the Blast. The arrival of Penna – part of the Adelaide Strikers squad that won successive Women’s Big Bash League titles – will strengthen Essex’s options in the middle-order batting and leg-spin departments.
The big question: How do Essex reshuffle their bowling attack to compensate for Sophie Munro’s absence? The seamer caught the eye during Sunrisers’ T20 campaign last year, finishing as their leading wicket-taker, but is currently out with a back injury. Despite their potent spin line-up, Essex will need alternatives to fill Munro’s role at the back end of the innings.
Wildcard watch: Esmae MacGregor. The 20-year-old can vary her pace and bowled well in the powerplay overs during Essex’s recent T20 County Cup defeat to Yorkshire. Although she featured more prominently in 50-over cricket last season, Munro’s injury could mean that MacGregor finds herself shouldering greater responsibility in the shorter format over the coming weeks.
Final thought: Essex should be capable of posting challenging totals in this tournament. As well as Winfield-Hill and Grace Scrivens at the top of the order, they can expect runs from the likes of Cordelia Griffith, Jodi Grewcock and Sophia Smale – while Jo Gardner, who begins the Blast in impressive form with the bat, could take on the finisher’s role. But they will also need to develop a ruthless streak that has so far been lacking in their 50-over campaign.
ESSEX MEN
Captain: Simon Harmer
Overseas players: Simon Harmer (South Africa, full competition), Mohammad Amir (Pakistan, full competition).
Finals Day appearances: Six (2006, 2008, 2010, 2013, 2019, 2023)
Titles: One (2019)
2024 finish: Fifth (South Group)
2024 highest run-scorer: Michael Pepper (535)
2024 highest wicket-taker: Paul Walter (17)
Key winter moves: With Sam Cook likely to be requisitioned by England for much of the summer, Essex reacted by re-signing Mohammad Amir to replenish their seam-bowling stocks. The experienced Pakistan international left-armer returns after taking 24 wickets across two Blast spells in 2017 and 2019, the latter helping Essex along the road towards their only success in the competition.
The big question: Can Essex shrug off their perennial enigmatic form in T20 cricket? Their entire history in the short format has been littered with fits and starts, false dawns and letdowns. Now, will the new management axis of (coach) Chris Silverwood and (captain) Simon Harmer align to produce something more concrete and significant?
Wildcard watch: Matt Critchley has played in all four iterations of The Hundred – for Welsh Fire (2021-2022) and London Spirit (2023-24) – but was overlooked in the 2025 Draft. The golden-arm all-rounder was Essex’s second-highest wicket-taker in last season’s Blast with 14, evidence that leg-spinners are more than worth their weight in white-ball cricket. What’s more, he’s also an explosive bat.
Final thought: Michael Pepper has established himself as one of the most exciting of big-hitting gunslingers. In a personal 2024 Blast campaign that included two centuries, he peppered the stands and terraces of South Group venues with 32 sixes – seven more than anyone else and that during a season in which Essex failed to qualify for the latter stages. He toured West Indies with England’s white-ball team in the winter; is he ready to step into the first XI at international level?
TEAM NEWS
Somerset Women will be without England trio Heather Knight, Charlie Dean and Dani Gibson. Lola Harris is also unavailable (exams).
A starting XI will be named from the following squad:
Somerset Men are without Tom Banton (England), Sean Dickson (hand) and James Rew (England Lions).
Somerset Men have named the following squad:
VIEWS FROM THE DRESSING ROOM
On the eve of the double header, Somerset Women Head Coach, Trevor Griffin said: “We need to park Friday’s defeat, move on and start our campaign against Essex on Sunday. The games come thick and fast so we don’t have time to dwell on things too much and we don’t always have the time to go away and work on our skills. We just need to recognise that we didn’t perform to the level that we’re capable of against Surrey.
“There were aspects of the performance that I was happy with on Friday and in particular I’m excited to see how the partnerships at the top of the order develop.”
Somerset Men Head Coach, Jason Kerr is keen to build on Friday’s win over Surrey. “It was a great performance with the ball on Friday,” he said. “We would have liked to have made the chase a bit easier, but Surrey are a quality side. The result sets us up nicely ahead of the game at Chelmsford and confidence is now obviously high.
“The competition is a marathon and you want to get off to a good start. We’ve now done that but we need to back that up on Sunday. The South Group is incredibly strong so there are no easy games. Some of the scores and individual performances that we’ve seen in the first round of matches just reflects the calibre that’s in the group.”
TRADE NATION STAT
CLASSIC MATCH
Let’s head back to 2023 for the classic Vitality Blast match between the two sides.
Somerset and Essex met in the final of the competition at Edgbaston that year, with Somerset coming out on top and lifting the trophy for the first time since 2005 following a thrilling encounter.
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
If you are planning to attend the match, all the information you need can be found on the official Essex CCC Website.
NEXT MATCH
The next game at the Cooper Associates County Ground takes place on Saturday June 7th when England take on the West Indies in a Women’s One-Day International.
Tickets for this not-to-be-missed clash are still on sale.
Buy yours now:
Somerset Women are next in action on Friday June 6th when we take on Birmingham Bears at Edgbaston in the Vitality Blast.
Somerset Men’s next Vitality Blast match is also on Friday June 6th when we face Sussex Sharks at 1st Central County Ground, Hove.
