Somerset
Blast Game11 Essex at our place
By Grockle
July 8 2025
The only change as suggested in the thread is Tom Lammonby giving up his place for the return of the captain after a slight illness (exhaustion probably - get used to it Lewis). We go into this one with an 8 and 2 record at the top of the table and if we win this one we WILL be in the quarter finals at least I am informed. We LOST the toss. Essex will bowl first so we have toset a target at home!!.
Blast Game 11 - v Essex @ Taunton Tuesday 8 July 2025
After a good win at the Utilita, the side hardly changes for this home game. Lewis Gregory is back after a slight illness and he replaces Tom Lammonby as the only change in;
Banton, Smeed, TKC, Abell, Dickson, Gregory, Green, Goldsworthy, Overton, Meredith, Henry.
This will be Matt Henry's last game for the moment (or the summer?) as a Somerset player. If we win this game we will be guaranteed a Quarter Final place at least but we have to win it yet.
We haven't started well by losing the toss. Essex will bowl first and we will set a target, not something we have done all that often in 2025.
Smeed and Banton first face Amir from the River end and he is sharp!! Bants takes 3 from him as Bennet takes the second and he starts with 5 extras (byes). Banton hits the first boundary halfway through to the Gimblett scoreboard and then repeats the shot next ball. They keep putting it in the same spot and Tom keeps hitting it to the same boundary. 20 for 0 after 2. Unfortunately it doesn't contnue again as he is fooled by a ball from Amir's second and pops it to the mid on fielder. He departs caught Bekenstein for 15 at 20 for 1. In comes TKC.
Noah Thaoin takes the 4th at 23 for 1 and Will put his first to the boundary. He is followed by Bennet who has gone for 25 from his first 2 as TKC gets out of first gear with 20 is quick time. He brings up the 50 with a six at the start of the 6th from Walter to move himself on to 27 from 12. Will has quietly moved to 7 but also starts to move at the end of the "Powerplay". After 6 Somerset are 67 for 1 as TKC hits a six and the fielder ducks (to be honest he lost it in the sun)!!
Benkenstiein takes the 7th and they keep up the 10+ an over as Critchley takes the 8th. Tom keeps peppering the upper levels of the MT with two more consecutive sixes to move to 46 from 21. Smeed is then dropped on the Caddyshack boundary and we move to 94 for 1 at the end of the 8th. Harmer comes on to try and create some sense in this carnage. He does . Restricting the runs to 96.
Benkenstein changes ends and TKC changes nothing putting his fifth six into the stands and going to a 24 ball 54(4 fours as well) also taking Somerset over 100. Will follows with a six of his own but then holes out with the next ball caught on the boundary for 32 (from 20) at 109 for 2. Tom A joins Tom KC after 10 overs we've moved to 114 and 200+ is on... but will it continue?
Benkensein carries on at the MT and TKC just keeps smacking them out of the playing area as he moves to 70 with his sixth six. Walter comes back to try and hold this batting monster... and prays he is bowling to Abell!! His partner moves to 80 with a cut four (his 8th) - he is striking at 230.3 presently. Bennet is back for his 3rd (26 off his first 2) Tom sends his first to the boundary to bring up his side's 150 (152). With 6 to go Bennet has gone to 0 for 41, TKC is on 90 and Tom Abell has 18 at 163 for 2.
Harmer needs some magic and he gets it as TKC holes out to the CA for 90 at 164 for 2 Caught by Pepper from 39 balls (6 sixes and 8 fours) batting mayhem!! In comes Sean Dickson, wafts at his first and it goes past the keeper for four!! When the batting gods are on your side they are most generous!! At 15 we have 171 and well over 200 is most definitely on if we keep our minds on the mission.
Critchley takes the 16th and it gets a little quieter as Tom Abell is caught by Walter in front of the Caddyshack for 20 at 178 for 4. In comes the skipper at the start of the 17th bowled by Harmer. Dickson says 'hello' to him with a straight six into the Botham. Lewis also introduces himself with one to the edge of the Somerset and the Hildreth to move us into the 190s. A four finishes the over at 199 for 4 with 3 to go.
Amir returns to restrict the damage from the MT. He sees us reach 200 from his first and the captain pushes on with a sort of ramped top edge but then goes caught by Thain for 18 at 206 for 5. 2 overs to go and Ben Green is in as Dickson faces Walter. He puts a decent one in but still goes for 10.
Amir gets the last. Dickson takes 2. Followed by 1. Amir bowls a great dot. Green runs a sharp 2. He then flashes a four over the diving fielder... just. The last ball is slapped to a fielder and Green goes for 13 as Thain holds on. Somerset reach 225 for 6.
The Reply
Pepper and Walter openm as Overton comes in from the MT and Walter hits the first six from his fourth ball and a four from his fifth. After 1 Essex are ahead of the ask as Big Craig goes for 15 from his first!! Walter has 14. Matt Henry starts his last four over session in the group stages and has Pepper reaching. Pepper finally gets awa the last one and it is 21 afer two - just under the RRR.
Meredith takes the third. Pepper goes by the saying "if you are going to flash. Flash six" as he gets a massive top edge which beats everyone to the Botham boundary. He tries it again and Riley breaks his off stump into 2 bits. 28 for 1 as Jordan Cox comes out to face. He nearly goes the same way. But the Essex man gets hold of the last and his side moves to 33 for 1.
Cox skies one from Henry and as all the fielders run to get under it, Ben Green takes a diving one as it is going over him. Superb catch and 33 for 2 as Allison joins Walter. A good over from the Kiwi. 34 after 4.
Meredith is in the zone tonight as Allison takes him on and is caught by Tom Abell in front of the MT at 44 for 10. In comes Critchley to join Walter but he decides fo leave in the next over caiught by Gregory off Hery for 24 from 12. 48 for 4 and Benkenstein is the new man with a hell of a job to do. But he isn'ty staying eithr as he is caught by Smeed before the end of the over 48 for 5. 226 seems a bloody long way off as Robin Das comes to the crease to finish the "Powerplay"!! It ends at 49 for 5 weith Henry on 3 for 13 off 3.
Overton returns with probably a sigh of relief after his first. We possibly won't need him all that much tonight. They do pass 50 in his over and Das takes him to the Ondaatje for six. He follows that up with a four just over Gregory's head. Craig is still not having a good nithg as he goes for 28 from 2.
Somerset introduce Lewis Goldsworthy for the 8th at 62 for 1. Critcley knocks one into the infield and Tom Abell returns the ball to the stumps before he gets to the other end and he goes for 2 at 64 for 6. "We never hit when it means anything"... well we do now!! Thain joins Das on pretty much a hiding to nothing. 12 overs to score about 150 at 67 for 6.
Gregory comes on from the MT for over 9. He goes for some 'tap' as Essex move to 81. Lewis Jr brings it back into perspective by removing Das thanks to the hands of Dickson in front of the Somerset for 17 at 81 for 7. In comes Harmer and he holds them to 85. Golders is really getting into the spin role in the T20!!.
Ben Green takes us to halfway. Thain sends him back over his head to the MT The 100 arrives for 7 wickets at the end of the 11th as Lewis Jr continues - and the commentators curse hits him as just after I say he's got this sported, he goes for 17 off his third and Essex move to 117. as Thain takes a liking to the spinner.
Craig continues from the MT and partners with Henry to send Thain back to the hutch for 36 at 117 for 8. In comes Amir to push it to the end of the 13th. Henry returns to bowl out and his final ball gets Amir who skies one which TKC watches into his hands. Henry fhinshes with 4 for 21 and 15 dot balls!! 130 for 9. Thank you Mr Henry. Harmer just fires one from Overton high wide and into the hands of Smeed. He goes for 230 and we win by 95 runs in 14.1 overs. Top of the South group by a lot!! And on we go!!
We are the first side to book a place in the Quarter Finals!!
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:07:11:18:03:19 by Grockle.
08/07/2025 18:29
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Squad: Banton, Smeed, Kohler-Cadmore, Lammonby, Abell, Dickson, Gregory (c), Green, Overton, Goldsworthy, Davey, Henry, Meredith, Leach.
Essex are without pace bowler Sam Cook, who is in the England squad for Thursday`s Third Test against India. Squad: Harmer (c), Allison, Amir, Benkenstein, Bennett, Cox, Critchley, Das, Jones, Pepper, Richards, Thain, Walter.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:07:07:17:07:44 by Grockle.
The women did really well at Hampshire and probably have themselves to blame for not winning their first T20 game. They are missing the same people as on Sunday and will probably stick with the same side unless there are any issues.
The men have Lewis Gregory back which will probably see Tom Lammonby miss out from the front end. Unless they plan to rota the bowlers I can't see Josh getting a game and with Lewis Goldsworthy doing such a good job presently there is no real need to consider Jack Leach unless there is a plan to play two spinners at the expense of a seamer.
It may very well be Matt Henry's penultimate or last game given travel and ETA plans regarding joining the NZ squad so one might expect the only change to be Lammonby unless there is something on the cards.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:07:07:21:02:29 by Grockle.
LoL
Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Looking ahead I would expect Pretorius to feature in one or two of the final group games so we have the option to play him in knockout stages. When we won it in 2023 we signed Ish Sodhi on short term contract. Can’t see us bringing someone else in to do similar role.
With two more kookaburra ball matches coming up I’d like to see Meredith feature v Durham at Taunton and against Notts at Trent Bridge. His experience of bowling with kookaburra could benefit us. Following his return club website stated he would be considered for County Championship selection.
But when pushed at the Glamorgan game the actual date was avoided, it might be they didn't want to confirm it or it may be that there's some flexing this week.
I still expect tomorrow to be his last game there was some doubt so I'm covering the bases and we'll see when the squad is announced for Friday.
Apologies people I try to provide live comment on games I am at. I'm not there for this one though I hope to get in for the later game (fingers crossed).
Will have to see I suppose but if people use the service regulary they ought to check the situation for at least tomorrow I think
If I click on the thread below this one, all I get is a blank page.
I'll ask them to have a look. The frontpage is available on the main site address but the comments before the start of the game are unavailable presently. Hopefully they'll be able to reconnect them.
Great result - very strong win. We keep scoring 225 against Essex (third time)
Great work by TKC
Great work by Matt Henry
Some great fielding especially by that Abell man
Really good support work by the team as a whole.
Guaranteed Quarter final place - let's keep it going
TK-C certainly nailing his colours to the mast, which is very encouraging.
So hope we can perform like this all the way through and win the flippin’ thing this year !
Grizzers
Can't understand why they have performed so poorly in the T20 this season.
Our batting remains immensely strong but we shall probably significantly miss our overseas bowlers for the remaining fixtures.
That didn't go well; chasing 225 even at Taunton is going to be hard, needing to average nearly two a ball...
And Amir had great figures too. If they'd gone after him as well, who knows how big a score it might have been?
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:07:10:14:03:03 by sfwithers.
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