)}})
Somerset begin Blast with a bang!
Somerset began the quest to regain the Vitality Blast crown with a comprehensive win over Surrey at the Cooper Associates County Ground.
The home side secured a five wicket victory with 13 balls to spare thanks to impressive performances from Matt Henry (three for 21), Riley Meredith (three for 26) and Will Smeed (35).
Despite a fine innings from Jason Roy, it was Somerset’s third win on the spin against Surrey and the sold out crowd in Taunton enjoyed the victory to the fullest.
Somerset skipper Lewis Gregory won the toss and invited the visitors to bat first.
Henry struck with the second delivery of the second over when he forced Dom Sibley to miscue to Craig Overton at mid on.
The New Zealander then struck again in the sixth over when he beat Ollie Pope for pace and the Surrey batter could only top edge the ball to Lewis Goldsworthy at mid wicket.
Whilst his partners struggled to cope with the pace of the Somerset attack, Roy found himself at home on a true wicket and at one point launched Overton over the Trade Nation Stand for a massive six.
The scoreboard ticket over to 50 off the opening delivery of the ninth over and at the halfway stage the visitors were 66 for two.
Roy went to 50 from 31 balls and reached the landmark in style, smashing Meredith over the Somerset Stand and on to the balcony of one of the apartments.
Roy’s partnership with Sam Curran had reached 57 when Curran picked out 17-year-old debutant Thomas Rew on the deep mid wicket boundary off the bowling of Ben Green and departed for 22 at 85 for three.
The Surrey 100 arrived off the opening delivery of the 15th over when Roy dispatched Gregory over the ropes for a maximum. With the very next ball the Somerset supporters stood as one as Meredith took an excellent diving catch to remove Roy but their euphoria was short-lived as the umpires indicated a front foot no ball.
Gregory didn’t have to wait long for his redemption though as the fourth ball of the over was smashed by Laurie Evans (3) straight to Craig Overton at long on.
107 for four became 119 for five when Tom Curran (9) fell in similar fashion although this time Henry was the bowler.
Meredith then picked up his first wicket of the tournament when Ollie Sykes (2) picked out Tom Abell on the deep mid wicket boundary at 125 for six in the 18th over.
All the while, Roy continued to accumulate his runs in impressive and authoritative fashion.
Green then claimed his second wicket when Chris Jordan skied the ball to Overton at (you guessed it) long on at 144 for seven.
Roy (92 from 54 balls) did eventually fall when he chased a wide one from Meredith but could only sky the ball to Tom Kohler-Cadmore. He left the field to a warm ovation from the Sell out crowd but his frustration at missing out on his century was plain for all to see.
Meredith claimed his third scalp when he bowled Dan Worrell (1) with the final delivery of the innings as Surrey finished on 146 for nine.
Henry was the pick of the home attack, finishing with figures of three for 21.
Somerset openers Smeed and Tom Banton (23) started in positive fashion and shared a stand of 45 before the latter got a leading edge to a Sam Curran delivery and Sibley took the catch at backward point.
Smeed brought up his side’s 50 in the seventh over in fine style with a big six to fine leg off Yousef Majid.
Tom Kohler-Cadmore raced to 23 from 10 balls, but fell to the third ball of the 10th over, bowled by Tom Curran, having dispatched the first two deliveries of the over to the boundary.
At the halfway stage Somerset were 96 for two. That soon became 98 for three when Smeed was bowled by Sam Curran for 35 (from 29).
Rew was then caught at long off by Chris Jordan off the bowling of Yousef Majid for one which left Somerset on 103 for four in the 12th over.
When Gregory (3) picked out Laurie Evans in front of the Ondaatje Stand to give Yousef Majid a second wicket, the home support began to fear the worst as a seemingly attainable total became a run-a-ball affair.
They needn’t have worried.
Ben Green helped himself to 10 runs off the final two balls of the 17th over, bowled by Jordan to relieve the pressure.
Green (23* from 16) and Tom Abell (29* from 22) shared a sixth wicket stand of 35 to see their side over the line.
