Vitality Blast, The Cooper Associates County Ground
Somerset 202-6 (20 overs): Gregory 54, Abell 41; Douthwaite 2-35
Glamorgan 203-6 (20 overs): Dickson 63, Tribe 48; Ball 2-47, Sams 2-49
Glamorgan beat Somerset by four wickets
Match Summary
Glamorgan achieved a thrilling four-wicket victory over Somerset at the Cooper Associates Ground, Taunton, completing a Vitality Blast double over the defending champions with a boundary on the final ball.
Somerset, having lost the toss, posted a total of 202-6 in their 20 overs. Captain Lewis Gregory led the innings with a rapid 54 runs off 28 balls, forming a crucial fifth-wicket partnership of 90 runs with Tom Abell, who contributed 41 runs. Dan Douthwaite was the most effective bowler for Glamorgan, taking 2 wickets for 35 runs in his four overs.
In response, Glamorgan reached 203-6 in their 20 overs. Sean Dickson played a pivotal role, scoring 63 runs from 36 balls, while Asa Tribe added 48 runs. The winning boundary was struck by Jimmy Neesham off the final delivery of the match.
Somerset Innings
Somerset's openers, Tom Banton and Josh Thomas, compiled a brisk half-century partnership in under five overs. Banton, who struck five fours and two sixes in his 39-run innings, was dismissed caught at deep square leg off the bowling of former Somerset player Ned Leonard.
Leonard conceded 50 runs in his three overs. Glamorgan responded by taking wickets, with Thomas caught for 18 off Ben Kellaway when the score was 60 at the end of the powerplay.
The Somerset innings then faltered to 83-4 as Jordan Hermann was run out by Kiran Carlson following a miscommunication with Abell. Thomas Rew was bowled by Douthwaite for two runs.
Abell and Gregory then steadied the innings. Gregory struck four sixes en route to a 24-ball half-century, and together they scored 24 runs off Leonard's 15th over.
Abell was eventually caught at deep square leg off Douthwaite after facing 28 balls. Gregory was run out by wicketkeeper Will Smale attempting a risky single. Daniel Sams ensured Somerset surpassed 200 runs by scoring 24 runs off 12 balls towards the end of the innings.
Glamorgan Innings
Kiran Carlson began Glamorgan's reply with an aggressive start, hitting Craig Overton for six in the first over and following with another six in the second over bowled by Josh Shaw.
The innings was briefly interrupted due to floodlight failure. After consultation between umpires and captains, play resumed with one floodlight still not operational.
Carlson, on 29 runs, was dropped by Thomas Rew at mid-wicket off Sams' first ball but was dismissed the next ball, caught at long-off. Ben Kellaway was soon dismissed by Jake Ball, and Will Smale fell for 22, lbw to Overton, who ended the powerplay with a wicket maiden, leaving Glamorgan at 55-3.
Dickson was dropped on 14 by Ball at third man off Gregory. This proved costly as Dickson cleared the boundary multiple times, including sixes off Shaw and Lewis Goldsworthy, reaching a 33-ball half-century. Another six off Sams further accelerated his innings.
Sams then bowled a slower ball that induced a high return catch from Dickson, reducing Glamorgan to 144-4 after 15 overs. Tribe, on 26, accelerated with two fours and a six off Ball before being caught at short fine leg off a full toss from Shaw.
Glamorgan required 16 runs from the final over, bowled by Ball. Douthwaite hit the second ball for six, but after another floodlight failure, he was caught at long-on. This dismissal gave Jimmy Neesham the opportunity to hit the winning boundary through the leg side off the last ball of the match.
Match Officials and Report
Report supplied by ECB Reporters' Network supported by Rothesay.
