Vitality Ultimate - Kent at home

By Grockle
July 2 2023

Lewis Gregory returns for the last game of the divisional part of this year's T20 Blast. No change in the side other than Tom Lammonby makes way for his skipper. Ish Sodhi gets a look at his home pitch before the quarter final next week and we go for the record of wins in the divisional part of the Blast with a chance to make 12 out of 14. We seem to be facing Notts in the quarters at Taunton on Friday the 7th

v Kent @ Taunton Sunday 2 July 2023

The last Blast game at home and for the first time in what seems to be an age (but probably isn't) we are top of the table with an unassailable lead and a quarter final (against Notts) is already booked at home on Friday 7th July. Tonight the only change in the side from the Oval game is that Tom Lammonby steps aside for Lewis Gregory to return. He also takes back the captain's duties from Tom Abell. Kent don't have Bell -Drummond and there is some uncertainty about whether Joe Denly will come out for them. He has been named but the coach seemed a little unsure before that.

Kent have won the toss and will bowl first in front of a sold out crowd of mostly locals who will stagger in from the pub about 6 one would assume. The sun is out and there is high cloud so it is highly doubtful that the weather will have any influence on this one.

Banton and Smeed face that man Hogan first from the River. Tom drives the second ball for the first four off the 4th ball. There is a next ball claim for LBW but nothing doing while a Hogan wide keeps the over going. It ends with 5 on the board. Matt Quinn starts from the MT and Smeed creams his second ball over the head of the boundary fielder for six into the Somerset stand. Later in the over he cuts him for four to roughly the same place though it was in the air for quite a while. The over ends on 18 for 0.

Grant Stewart keeps the variety going with the third and he has Tom driving off the ground into Stewart's hands on his follow through. He goes for 4 and in comes Kohler-Cadmore at 19 for 1. He snicks his first but it bounced into the hand of the slip fielder Leaning. TKC gets into the swing a little more with a squeezed four ball number 5 and a more confident four to end the over. Evison takes the 4th at 27 for 1. He has a shout turned down off his second ball and the Somerset men are taking on the field with a quick single halfway through the over. They continue this with the next ball so the newbie TKC must feel better with his batting partners than at the start of the Blast. Smeed dismisses the next ball for four. He then opens his shoulders to finish the over with a CA scoreboard double and it is 40 for 1.

Hogan's next over gets some 'welly' at the start as TKC takes the score to 50 off the first 2 balls. The running between the wickets is urgent and aggressive. But there are still the boundary shots as TKC goes aerial to the CA scoreboard with 1 bounce. 56 for 1 Over number 6 is also in the hands of Quinn and TKC sends him to the Caddyshack We end the Powerplay with 63 for 1.

Returning to bowl at the River end is Stewart. He had success last time but a high sky edge from Will first ball falls in No Man's Land. The next ball Will sees goes miles into the flats to bring up the 50 partnership off 25 balls. Success does come with the last ball of the over when TKC straight hits the ball down Harry Finch's throat at Third. 72 for 2 with Kohler-Cadmore out for 31 off not many balls. Tom Abell replaces him at the start of the 8th which introduces the spin of Linde. His first tight over goes for a very creditable 6.

From the River we then have Hogan again who folds Abell up with his first. Facing Smeed he sees another approach as Will sends the ball into the Caddyshack seats. It nearly killed Jason Kerr in the dugout!! He keeps peppering this side of the ground as they push two from the next before he smacks one into the Somerset to bring up a 23 ball 50 with 3 fours and 4 sixes. Then he shows the delicacy of touch he does have by flipping the ball to the Ondaatje over the infield, 97 for 2 with Smeed on 56 and Abell on 5.

The halfway over comes from Linde and the 100 comes via a cut four to the Hildreth courtesy of WS. Another skier again falls in No Mans Land with two fielders leaving it to each other but the next ball does for Will as this time it goes to Muyeye on the boundary who doesn't lose it in the sun. Sean Dickson comes out to face Joey Evison with Somerset on 104 for 3 at the start of the 11th over. It all goes quiet for a while as the bats get a feel but then Dickson sees the Somerset and can't resist putting the ball into the seats. Tom decides it is time and comes down the wicket to deposit it into the Botham.

121 for 3 with 9 to go... it could be a big score tonight. But an excellent full length diving catch from Jordan Cox in front of the Caddyshack sends Tom Abell back to the hutch and prompts the return of Gregory (I would have sent him in after Ben Green to be honest). 124 for 4 and Somerset need to keep the momentum going. Dickson hits the ball through the hands of Linde at the end of the over - close C&B but no cigar.

Quinn is back at the River defending 126 for 4. Dickson has other ideas with a straight six down the ground. He is well beaten by the next though. A well run two moves his side on to 137 before Linde bowls out in the 14th. His first ball is cut to the Somerset by Dickson who seems to be warming to his task with 23 to his name and the over ends with 144 on the board. Hogan comes back at the River with 6 to go. Dickson is showing he can hit a decent straight six as he peppers the Botham again and moves his side past 150. He also shows he can do it with fours as well putting it in about the same place to move to 34. Lewis then gets in on the act wiith a four through the covers. The 15th ends at 163 for 4.

Joey Evison is on at the MT and the aggressive running of the home side's bats continues as they rush another quick single - a characteristic of this evenings' innings. They are taking on any fielder moving to the ball stealing twos where possible as well as judged singles to the infield. This policy moves them on by 8 in a very tight over from the Kent man.

Dickson tries a 'shovel (?) at the start of the 17th and is out the next ball trying to hit a wide one which he simply snicks to Billings 41 from 24 balls. In comes Ben Green who probably won't leave us wondering. at 171 for 5. He doesn't and he is out first ball caught in front of the boundary going big. He is replaced by COve who will probably take the same route against Stewart!! Gregory chooses the other side of the ground and keeps it on the floor for his first boundary to the carpark near the CA. He does produce a six with his next just over the boundary of the Ondaatje.

Hogan changes ends for his last and the 18th at 182 for 6 Lewis cleverly slides one down to the CA to move to 27 and Craig opens up to put one into the MT car park with no finesse whatsoever. This moves Somerset into the 190s at 194 for 6 as the floodlights come on.

Matt Quinn takes the penultimate 6 from the River and the Somerset men are eyeing up 200. They go to 199 with a straight four from Overton. He tries to put it a little further and is caught literally on the boundary by Jordan Cox who keeps his feet inside the marker. Josh Davey comes in to bat which hasn't been too usual this year. A wide brings up the 200. A Kent fielder stops a four but the guys run three anyway and Davey is off the mark. Kent outfielders stop another one on the other side from the Somerset skipper but the next one goes flying into the Botham with no fielder anywhere near it. 211 for 7 with the final over to come and Lewis Gregory on 36.

Evison takes the last and Davey puts him over the boundary for four. They change ends with a single and the captain swings and misses so extravagantly that Billings runs all the way to the bowler to tell him something. The next one is whipped square and another single is taken. Josh goes straight and they take two. He gets a bottom edge on the last and they post 221 for 7. Gonna be a big ask!!

The Reply

Muyeye and Billings face Overton from the River end and the first ball beats Muyeye all ends up. The second does the same. So does the third and one thinks that COve is up for this. Four balls in and the Kent man has yet to get bat anywhere near ball. A round of applause greets him getting to the fifth delivery and he is then dropped by Sean Dickson a real 'steepler' which was in the air for ages. Matt Henry takes the second at 1 for 0. Muyeye has more success with his first delivery which he puts into the stands. The next one also goes up but this time it is caught by Josh Davey. Muyeye leaves for 7 after 8 balls. Out comes Alex Blake who produces a confident and nicely played cover drive to get off the mark. Kent are 13 for 1 after 2 overs.

As usual Overton takes the third and Blake is not backward at coming forward as he smacks him to the CA boundary and then into the Botham for six The next has a bit of 'ummph' behind it as it flies past the bat's ear and that calms then down a bit. 27 for 1 after 3 with 14 off the second over from our frontline bowler. Henry takes the fourth and Blake continues to take the bowling on. Matt asks questions with one on his toes but he negotiates it well and gets up the other end. Billings only has 3 and his next act is to run his partner out at the non striker's end with a straight drive that Henry gets a hand to. Unfortunate, Blake was looking good. In comes Jordan Cox who worked well in the field during the Somerset innings. Kent Spitfires are 35 for 2 after four overs.

Craig gets overexcited and tries to run out the batsman in his follow through - nearly makes it. Billings ramps a four in reply. He follows this up with another further into the over as Kent move towards 50. It comes with a six into the Somerset with the last ball. 52 for 2 after 5.

Josh Davey is introduced and must be hoping for a better return than the Oval on Friday when he was the most expensive Somerset bowler - though he did cope with the last over well. A good first ball is followed by a solid straight four back past him. The third goes the same way to the Somerset stand from Cox. However the fourth to the Ondaatje doesn't have enough on it and is pouched by Tom Abell. Cox goes for 18 and is replaced by Jack Leaning at 63 for 3. Davey finishes his first with a wicket and Kent are 63 for 3 at the end of the Powerplay.

Ben Green replaces Craig at the River and finds his length immediately. Billings shows no respect and sends him to the Brewhouse with ball 3. But good fielding keeps the ball inside the ropes and the score in some kind of check as Kent reach 74 by the end of his first.

On comes Ish Sodhi for his first bowl at Taunton and one has to think the game is won or lost here as Kent have to keep the momentum going and Ish has the job of stopping that. He doesn't get much success from this over and Kent end it at 87 for 3. Lewis takes the 9th with a need for the wicket of Sam Billings perhaps? However, Kent are looking for 3 figures before the halfway stage and that seems more likely. Lewis gets the last laugh at 96 when he bowls Billings for 36 from 21 balls with the last ball of the over (a bit of a peach). George Linde is the next man in and Ish takes the middle over. They pass 100 but only on the fifth ball of the over and end it on that score - a good second one from the New Zealander.

122 from 60 required but we did it so....

Overton is back for the 11th and after a very good first over he has been a bit expensive tonight. This continues as he goes for 13 off 3 despite some heroic fielding from Tom Abell at the CA scoreboard. He goes for 17 and this is still on for the visitors.

Ish continiues his spell with a need for a sparse over to keep the pressure on. The Kiwi delivers with only 1 from his first 3 and the wicket of Linde via Craig Overton's huge bucket hands. 118 for 5 Evison is the next man in and we need Sodhi to keep it going. An excellent 2 and a wicket. Welcome to Taunton Mr Sodhi looking good!!

Lewis looks to keep it in check because Kent are still in sight. He keeps it to 123. Sodhi comes back and holds them to 135 at the end of the 14th. Matt Henry returns for the 15th and a six comes off his first taking Kent into the 140's He fights back but a big flash off a no ball spoils it a bit as the visitors get a free hit which also goes to the boundary and they go past 150. 153 for 5 means they need 69 from 5.

Ben Green is the next to try and stop that happening bowling that nagging length that batsmen are really not sure about. They get him away square with ball 4 and then six ball 5 into the car park by the MT. This keeps happening and keeps Kent in this game. 169 for 5 put them a mere 5 behind us with the loss of one more wicket.

Josh Davey changes ends. A six into the Somerset sees them move ahead of our rate - this is looking dicey!! 182 for 5. They are 1 run ahead on the ask and this is most derfinitely possible for Kent.

Gregory has a captain's role to play now as the scoring rate is too high to make this comfortable with both Evison and Leaning in the 40s. He has a wicket ball number 2 as Leaning is caught by TKC. In comes Stewart at 185 for 6. He has no time to settle and Gregory is warming to his task as he bowls dot balls when we need them. 187 for 6 - thanks skipper. Now they need to keep the pressure on.

Henry has a wicket from the River end first up as Joey Evison leaves with 46 from 24 balls and Kent find themselves with Finch and Stewart as a new pair needing to score big. 188 for 7 in the 19th. Storming over 190 for 7 with 6 balls to go.

32 off 6 from Lewis becomes 30 off 4 and then 24 off 3 as Sam Dalling is nearly killed by a ball he is totally unaware of bouncing off the rail at the front of the makeshift Press Box (it is caught in the crowd on the rebound). The next is another steepler which Tom A doesn't get hold of to take Kent over 200. The last ball goes for a single and we win a good game despite an excellent Kent chase.

A win by 15 runs and a record 12 match winning spree! The first time this has been done! A great first section of the tournament. Now on to the quarter final and let's keep this going for a change! Somerset tend to vary their performances between the different sections of the Blast. This time we have waltzed into the Quarters rather than scraping in as the fourth side. When we've struggled in the division we tend to over perform in the knockouts and find ourselves in the Finals. Let's hope we can keep our present progress going this year - a consistent Somerset? Who would have thought it!!

Vitality Ultimate - Kent at home

Posted by: Grockles.com (IP Logged)

Date: 02/07/2023 18:21

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2023:07:05:10:12:14 by Grockle.