Blast Game 10 - Hampshire at their crib
By Grockle
July 6 2025
Rain will delay the start to the Men's game - Matt Henry's possible penultimate game (though he may be here until next Friday and Durham. Lewis Gregory is not in the side today and Tom Kohler-Cadmore captains the side which has the same personnel as Friday except Tom Lammonby comes in for the usual skipper. Leaving us a bowler light? Nah. Tom L's left hand seam will be on display.
Blast Game 10 - v Hampshire @ Utilita Bowl Southampton Sunday 6 July 2025
Somerset are without Lewis Gregory for this game and the captain's armband is handed to Tom Kohler-Cadmore for this game. Tom Lammonby comes in to take the allrounder's spot and will be expected to bowl as well one would imagine.
The side is;
Banton(w), Smeed, TKC (c), Abell, Dickson, Lammonby, Green, Goldsworthy, Overton, Henry, Meredith
Somerset won the toss and will chase once more but the game is delatyed as the rain started about 10 minutes before the 3pm start time. We lose no overs as long as the sides get on the pitch by 3:30. the Women's games was disturbed a couple of times but not to any loss of overs in that game either.
The umpires will inspect at 3:25 as the sun is now out and if there is no further rain the game will start uninterrupted at 3:30.
We have both sides on the pitch about 40 minutes late as Vince and Orr come out to face Craig Overton from Pavilion end. His third ball is flipped by Orr down to short fine leg and he is caught well by Lewis Goldsworthy without scoring at 1 for 1. This brings out Toby Albert to join his skipper. He scores the first boundary with a good drive and then adds a second pulled four to go to 9 for 1 and Albert has 8 from 3. The over ends at that score. Matt Henry takes the second from the Hotel end to James Vince. A tight skiddy first over goes for 1.
As is usual Overton will bowl the majority of his overs at the start of the game but his overs are tighter than they were on Friday at Taunton and the two openers are being held by the new ball duo. After 4, Hampshire are on 25 for 1 but 20 of those are from Albert with Vince is only on 2.
Riley is introduced for the last of the "Powerplay" at 31 for 1. He swats a four flat batted almost through Vince in the middle of the 6th and then tries to swat another, but he top edges off the bat or the glove and is caught and bowled for 27 from his 19 balls at 35 for 2. In comes Weatherley to finish off the 6 over starting phase. He takes a single and Hampshire are 36 for 2. Somerset will be happy with 36 for 2.
Craig continues into the 7th and will bowl out with 4 for 17 - excellent series of overs. 37 for 2 is really good. So we now start to look at the others but Meredith is to continue for the 8th presently. Hampshire will have to look at Green, Goldsworthy and Lammonby for runs at the moment.
It's 39 for 2 when Ben Green comes on for his usual 9th over. Vince hits both his first balls for boundaries as was expected and the home side goes to 53 with a third four in the over. Ben is going to have to come back from this as his first goes for 15. The 10th will also be hard as we introduce Lewis into the attack. Vince gets away with a slash that just beats Banton to go for four. But Lewis has learned during this Blast campaign and is not just boundary fodder for bats. His over goes for 8 with one boundary that was lucky so a fair first one from the young man. Hampshire are 62 for 2 after 10 as we introduce Tom Lammonby into the attack.
His first is a wide-ish one which is glanced for four (bit of a loosener I'm afraid) and he gets some 'tap' in the second half as Weatherly gets into his fourth to produce the first Hampshire six straight back over his head. 74 for 2 after 11. Goldsworthy continues and again the first is a wide-ish one the bat sends to the rope. After a couple of good single balls, Weatherley gets hold of another one and dumps it in the stand as they move to 87 for 2 with 8 more overs to be bowled.
Matt returns for the 13th and the dynamic has changed as the batting pair are now more confident of their ground and their situation so they are looking to be more expansive against the Somerset attack. Vince hits a six to send his side into the 90s from the New Zealander who comes back and keeps the Hawks under 100 at 99 for 2 by the end of the 13th. That changes with the second ball of Green's 14th as the 100 arrives with Weatherley on 27 from 23 and Vince on 42 from 36. Weatherley picks Ben's slow ball and sends it for his third six of the innings as they move to 108.
TKC risks a third Lewis over to leave his options open and they look to put him away. The 'junior' version does his job and goes for 4 singles. Very good over. With 25% of the overs left Hampshire are on 112 for 2 as we return to the pace of Meredith who has bowled 2 for 7 so far. Weatherley takes a short one away for his fourth six and 9 have gone off the over so far. Vince goes to a 50 from 49 balls with 6 fours and 1 six at 127 for 2. 17 from the over moving to 128 for 2 with 4 to go so anything over 10 and over will result in a 170/180 score which will definitely be competitive.
Green takes the next. and his 10 takes the score to 137 with 3 to go. Riley bowls out with number 18 with Ben and Matt to finish off. Vince sees his slower one and adds to his six tally moving the home side in sight of 150. Meredith completes his 4 with 1 for 34. Weatherley meanwhile puts Henry into the stand with his 5th six to take Hampshire to 155 and himself to a 38 ball 55 with 5 sixes and 1 four. They go after the Kiwi in the 19th as he bowls out for 43 without taking a wicket. Hampshire are at 166 with an over to come from Ben Green.
He goes for a couple and then Vince has a go with consecutive fours before trying once too often and being caught by 'Bucket hands' Overton which followed by a 2 means Greener finished with 1 for 45 and Hampshire finished on 178 for 3. Vince departed for 82 from 57 with 10 fours and 2 sixes. Weatherley was 60 not out at the end and he and his skipper put on 141 for the third wicket - excellent play by the two.
Somerset need 179 to win - about a par score here I think, maybe a little over so it will be a task to take the points from this one, especially after not doing so well in the game at home on Friday.
The Reply
Wood bowls the first over to Smeed and Banton with the keeper taking the first ball as always. 1 run each is the result of the first, both off the mark but only 1 for 2. Fuller will bowl from the Hotel end and the Somerset two must be eyeing the inviting small boundaries on the sides as the ropes are well in on this oval. However, as with the Somerset new ball attack, the bowling is tight and getting off the square is not easy. After two they have only managed to move the score on to 6. Banton finally cuts loose in the 3rd over, crossing the rope with a six. Unfortunately, the next ball he tries to do the same... and doesn't. He slaps the next ball to Vince at midoff and is on his way for 10 at 14 for 1 - daft shot I'm afraid.
SkipperKC is in for the start of the 4th and will have to be careful against tight, accurate bowling. As I say that, Smeed puts Fuller into the side stand, twice in consecutive balls. Now please calm down Will. 27 for 1 after 4 and we see Sonny Baker for the first time in Hampshire gear. He goes for 15 off his first with TKC taking two boundaries and a third of byes as the keeper misses a ball the Somerset skipper misses first. Currie takes the last of the "Powerplay" with 42 on the board. Will is looking for the boundary and gets it with a hard flash 3rd ball. The 50 is in sight and TKC takes the county there with a single from the 5th ball. He is on 10 from 5 and Smeed leaves on 25 from 20 as he is up the wicket but only inside edges the ball to the keeper catching him down the leg side. The "Powerplay" ends at 50 for 2 with both openers gone.
Hampshire introduce Dawson and he strikes immediately removing TKC with his second ball for 10 at 50 for 3. He is swinging across the line to a straight one and loses his middle stump!! Oh dear. Sean Dickson is next in and the Somerset guys will havbe to start again!! Howell takes over at the other end for the 8th at 53 for 3 and all bets are off on Somerset winning this one for at least another 6 or so overs.
Aas we operatre under the usual rules for T20s, Tom Abell operates in the supporting role and his partner looks for the runs. In this present partnership that means Sean Dickson and by the time Sonny has returned for the 11th over, Mr Dickson has moved on to 24 from his 17 (with 2 fours and a six in that) while TA has a run a ball 7. The score is 80 for 3. It's 88 at the start of Dawsons 12th and Abell hits a boundary from the first to move the score into the 90s. 96 for 3 with 8 to go needing 83 for the win.
Currie returns for his second. Dickson lookas for the four that takes Somerset to 3 figures but only gets the single. Tom gets the boundary next ball and it is 101 for 3, then 102 for 3 (and the 50 partnership) and then 103 at the end of the 13th. It's scoring but not fast enough tomake a dent in the lead presently.
Progress continues and Dickson goes to a 32 ball 50 (52) in the 15th with 2 fours and 4 sixes so he is definitely warming to his task. But that is the end of his part in the game as he is out at 139 for 4 for that 52 caught at long on by Dawsopn off Howell with 40 needed to win.
Tom Lammonby comes out to the crease as Dawson finishes with 1 for 29 from his 4 at the end of the 16th. Lammonby is off the mark with a couple to move the score to 141 aas Currie starts the 17th. Abell has 37 from his 25 and is now in the driving seat of this game as we need 37 from 23 with 6 wickets in hand.
At 143 for 4 and for the second game in a row, Tom Abell is out to a freak caught and bowled as he slaps one past Currie and the bowler sticks out a hand and it stricks. He is almost as amazed as Abell is astonished at his lack of luck. 143 for 5 halfway through the 17th and Ben Green is in.
At 146 for 5, Sonny has a game to win. He has gone for 18 from his first 2 and needs a good one here to put Somerset in a hard place. They need 33 from 18. They pass 150 during his over (ball number 3) and at the end of it the score has moved to 156 for 5 - he goes for 10. Tom and Ben need to find 23 from 12 to take this one home. Currie is bowling the 19th and he has been very good at 2 for 20 off his 3. He has Lammonby caught by Howell off a full stroke of the bat with ball 2. He goes for 11 from 9 at 156 for 6. in comes Goldsworthy who gets Ben on strike from ball one and he puts the next into the boundary for four. It's too late unfortunately and we will come up short again. Though Lewis makes a game of it with a huge ly high six down the ground to move the visitors to 168 for 6 at the end of the 19th. We are exactly where the women were earlier though Hampshire women needed 11 off the last and now we do.
Sonny is going to bowl it so another ex Somerset man can win a game for his new county. Ball 1 is an excellent yorker that is a scrambled single. Goldsworthy faces the second and also scampers a single. The third is a Green six into the stands and we suddenly need 3 from 3. They run a double from the next which ties the game with 2 balls remaining. Green has 18 from 9. They run a single to win the game with a ball left. Sonny has gone for 37 from his 3.5. Lewis ends with 8 from 3 and Ben wins the game with a quickfire 19 from 10 including that game ending 6. Somerset win by 4 wickets with 1 ball left at 180 for 6.
Excellent game and an excellent chase in a hard fought away fixture we could have come a cropper at. We go on to Essex on Tuesday.
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:07:10:20:40:09 by Grockle.
Hampshire included both new overseas batsmen - Chris Lynn, all-time leading run-getter in Australia`s BBL, and Hilton Cartwright, who was T20 experience with Middlesex and Derbyshire. They replace Dewald Brevis and Lhuan-de Pretorius, who have both returned home.
Squad: Vince (c), Albert, Baker, Cartwright, Currie, Dawson, Fuller, Howell, Jack, Lynn, Prest, Weatherley, Wood.
Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 2025:07:05:18:42:01 by Grockle.
Banton, Smeed, TKC, Abell, Dickson, Green, Gregory, Overton, Goldsworthy, Henry, Meredith, Lammonby, Ball
Can't see Jake playing with Henry having only 2 games left - though he may come in for Overton who looked a little under par on Friday.
Big injury problems for the women - who are still chasing that first win despite getting closer and closer each fixture. They are up against Elyse Perry and Charlie Knott today so it's a big ask.
Somerset are without Heather Knight, Emma Corney, Amelie Munday and Dani Gibson through injury and lose Charlie Dean to England duty. so an even bigger ask!!
Their squad for the 11am start double header is
Ellie Anderson, Olivia Barnes, Ruby Davies, Alex Griffiths, Lola Harris, Jess Hazell, Naimh Holland, Jess Jackson, Sophie Luff, Bex Odgers, Mollie Robbins, Chloe Skelton, Erin Vikusic, Amande-Jade Wellington, Fran Wilson A big group
The side picked is;
Odgers, Holland, Wilson, Luff (c), Hazell (w),Wellington, Skelton, Griffiths, Robins, Barnes, Vikusic
Gotta hope they move Wellington up the batting order and interesting to see how Erin goes in her early games.
Presently Fran Wilson has made some runs (43) at last and Wellington has still only come in at number 6 and we have 94 for 4 in the 13th over!!
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:07:06:22:14:27 by Grockle.
Same side as Friday - except for the change of skipper.
Narrow loss for the women, good bowling but pretty poor fielding at the back end of the game!! Freya Kemp won the game with a six and a four in the last over needing 11 (they scored more as well). More galling as she was dropped by the bowler of the last (Alex Griffiths, a drop that then went for four) in the 18th over just before Amanda-Jade Wellington bowled her paartner who had been the backbone of the innings up until then. So we should have started the last over needing 11 with two new bats at the crease with nothing to their names. There were a couple of poorly executed close fielding run out possiblities and saves also so it wasn't good at the end.
Lost by 8 wickets but with only 2 balls to go -
I saw nothing today that said we made a mistake. I saw an awful lot that said the young lad made the right decision and took the money while he could. I hope it works out for him but it has a 'Johnno' kind of career look to it though I hope I'm wrong.
We were expecting him to play against us at Southampton when we arrived for the four dayer. He was protected by England then and has bowled little since. You can only protect a young bowler from the demands of a UK cricket summer for so long before you have to accept he has to bowl or the defeat because he can't effectively.
Not sure where they are with Sonny but I'm glad we don't have the problem to be honest.
What a great chase in a hard fought game.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:07:06:22:13:40 by Grockle.
Essex did us a favour this evening by defeating Surrey, the side most likely to challenge our leadership of the table; Surrey have a game in hand but are now eight points behind us. Next Sunday's match at The Oval might prove to be something of a final and is almost certain to be highly entertaining. I certainly hope so, as I shall be taking my two older grandsons to watch (and our day will include the women's match), all at a cost of £1 for each of them.
The cricket I shall enjoy; whether I cope with the excessive noise is another matter. I don't mind the crowd getting as enthusiastic as they like but I do not understand why there have to be so many "musical" interventions. There is that awful inane trumpet riff, seemingly played at least once a minute at Southaampton today and only a little less frequently at Taunton on Friday. There was a time when the crowd used to cheer when those brassy notes were sounded, but that seems to happen rather less frequently now and I am wondering what the point of it is. Then there is that man who shouts out ("sings" would be too polite) DEO (Day-oh?) which is followed by some truly horrendous shouting whose purpose can only be to irritate. My simple solution is that whenever the riff is sounded the visiting side is awarded five runs, while ten runs will be dished out in response to DEO. The cricket is the only entertainment required - and if I go to a concert I don't expect some sporting hero to come on every few minutes to show us his tricks. Sporting events are for sport; musical events are for music.
Time for a lie-down.
LoL
Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:07:07:10:59:16 by Loyal of Lhasa.
It's discourteous if not downright nasty to use it to point the fact out to a couple of thousand people when the guy knows he made a mistake. It's pointing an audio 'finger' and laughing at someone's mistake.
Why be that nasty? For what reason?
It wasn't used when Tom ABell got caught and bowled though at Taunton - because you only take the @#$%& out of opposition players making mistakes of course.
Hampshire of course did not do the same to the same player today when the same bloody thing happend to the poor bloke second game running!! So Hampshire might be louder than us but they are also better than us at times.
I hate the whole thing about superstition/commentator's curse etc, but I turned on YouTube to watch some music videos while washing up (my life couldn't be better!!) and YouTube showed me that the Hampshire Livestream was playing.
So, I turned it on just in time to see Will Smeed get caught. That put me off for a while, until I checked cricinfo a bit later - at this point it was looking good so I went back to the streaming, only to immediately see the fall of Abell's wicket. And so I turned off. Again.
So, in the game I saw two or three balls bowled - give or take - and the loss of two Somerset wickets. Does that make me a Jonah?! (I can find watching live sport very stressful.)
Overall, though, a very, very good victory that keeps Somerset at the top of the table with a bit of breathing space, helped by Essex beating Surrey.
As I said earlier, phew!
Away to Zimbabwe in mid-week, the 19-year-old Lhuan-dre Pretorius became his country`s youngest Test centurion, and went on to became the youngest player to make 150 in Test history, while colleague Dewald Brevis made a 38-ball fifty, the fastest-ever by a Test debutant.
I agree about the Goldsworthy six, by the way; which came shortly after Anthony Gibson had bemoaned the fact that Craig hadn't been sent in to bat because he was more likely to hit sixes!