Blast Finals Day Semi 1 - It's Northants Again!!
By Grockle
July 18 2026
Here we go again then people. Another Blast Finals Day and another nailbiter as we pull ourselves into the day by the skin of Craig Overton's bat. We take on Northants - who must love us at the moment. We have won the toss and we will bowl first at 11 am. With Lewis Goldsworthy out because of a concussion, Jack Leach will be our spinner in the first game.
Blast Finals Day - Semi 1 v Northants @Edgbaston Saturday 18 July 2026
Somerset win the toss and will bowl first in the semi-final. Lewis Goldsworthy is unavailable because of a concussion injury in the QF on Wednesday but Tom Banton has been released by England for the day.
The side for the semi-final is therefore;
RewT (w), Smeed, Banton, Rew J, TKC, Gregory (c), Sams, Overton, Leach, Meredith, Ball
Jack is in for the slow stuff and Bants is in with Tom Abell possibly still not fully back to fitness even though he was mentioned in the squad.
We didn't think we would be here at the re-commencement of the group games because of a consecutive 4 losses. We then beat Northants twice to put us back in contention and then squeeked into the quarters last Sunday wih a comprehensive win against Worcestershire. Then we went to Headingley and looked absolutely cooked against Yorkshire before the heroics of Craig Overton out us here with a ball to go. Today we come into this in some kind of form but really anything we do today is more than we expected and it is all up for grabs. Northants will want to beat us badly because in a very good T20 season they have failed against us twice in about a fortnight.
So let the dogs out of the traps and let's go. For Northants, Chris Lynn who was doubtful because of a bad knock in the QF WILL be opening for his county this morning and he was a nightmare last year!! The good news is that we did bring the trophy with us up from Taunton rather than having to send it up by courier and it is now time to start parying that we turn up and we take the lump of silver back down with us this evening - the first time any team will have done that. Off go the fireworks and it's game time.
Vasconcelos and Lynn open against Craig Overton - who got a great reception when he was announced this morning. He is bowling from the Pavilion End to Vasconcelos. He goes straight to the boundary from ball 1 and finishes with a six to close out Over 1 for 11 all from his bat.
Riley takes the second and as always we wonder which 'Riley' we will get. Vasconcelos has stolen the strike and puts our second bowler to the boundary with ball 1 as well. We think we have Ricardo with ball 3 the umpire says no but we review. It's a question of whether the ball hit the top of his pad or the glove. The Review says GLOVE and he is on his way for 15 at 15 for 1. In comes Nathan McSweeney.
The second over ends at 18 for 1 but only 1 to either bat. Over 3 stays with COve and we have our second review of McSweeney and he is also out LBW. 18 for 2 with Lynn yet to face, McSweeney back in the hutch with 1 and David Willey coming to the crease.
Dan Sams is one hell of a boundary fielder and we go to our third review as the umpires check whether his phenomenal dive and throw got Willey running in. It didn't but he is so good in that position and it was damn close. Lynn finally faces and gets off the mark.
Craig takes his usual 3rd and Willey skies one back over his head. Gregory and TKC come together and NEITHER calls for it so the skipper takes the catch while being totalled by his mullet mate (does he have a brain?). He doesn't drop the catch and we have them at 26 for 3 with Zaib in and Willey walking back for 6. Lynn looks to take hold of this innings as he hits his first boundary and then a huge six into the stands to take him into double figures. He tries to repeat it and nearly loses his off stump. Craig has gone for 23 from 3 and Norhants are 38 for 3 as Jake Ball finishes the 'Powerplay' and does it in style with a maiden to keep them to 39 for 3 after 6.
Jack is on for the 7th - lets see what happens to him today it could be the deciding factor in this game as it stands at the moment. He looks to old them down but Lynn steps away and belts ball 5 to the boundary and then brings up the Northants 50 with a six off the last 51 for 3 after 7 and Lynn moves to 23 from 14 after a slow start in terms of facing balls. Lewis brings himself on for the 8th from the City End. His first is also a solidly tight over that only goes for 3.
For the 9th we introduce Daniel Sams to the attack from the Pavilion. It is all going swimmingly until we give away 5 wides. but he nearly gets LKynne with a full one with the very next ball. The Northants bat just manages to get his wand in the way as it spears into his toes. He is then called for an above the shoulder wide as well as he looks to give Zaib some hassle followed by another wide!! He finally gets out of the over with 12 to his name
Craig is bowling out from the other end with the 10th and Lynn takes advantage of a loose one to pull him for four. He finishes with a perfectly credible 2 for 33 fromhis spell and we reach 10 overs at 74 for 3 with Jack starting the second half of the innings. Zaib sixes him ball 2 but he fightsd back and Zaibv is dropped James on the boundary - uncharacteristc to be honest. It wasn't a difficult one. 90 for 3 after 11 and Jake Ball is back with 0 runs coming from his first.
He continues this by bowling Lynn with the second ball of his second and Lewis McManus arrives at the crease at 91 for 4 as his team mate leaves with 39 from 26. 96 for 4 when our spinner takes his third. The 100 arrives for the opposition with a straight boundary over Leach's head at the end of the 13th. 103 for 4 as Jake continues.
At 15 it is 115 for 5 after another excellent piece of fielding on the boundary by Tom Banton who picks up a ball near the boundary, drops it, steps out and comes back on to send it in as if it is nothing. Kimber has 7 and McManus has 9 as Lewis takes the 16th. Then Riley takes the 17th and Sams takes another stnner coming in from the boundary to send Kimber back for 9 from 10 at 124 for 6 - he is SO good in the field. Calvin Harrison comes to the middle as Riley finishes his third with 14 to his name. Jake bowls out at 3/12/9/2 presently and a catch is missed from his first ball as three fielders converge and none really takes the initiative. He has another clothed into NoMan's Land in his last over and then an attempted 'ramp' from McManus gives him his well deserved third as TKC is there for the catch and the bat puts it straight into his hands. 133 for 7. This brings Proctor to the middle.
Jake then has another one clothed to TKC at the other end and Proctor goes off the first ball faced for nothing 134 for 8 and Ball is on for a 5-fer!! Sanderson is the next to face. Ball finishes with a possible match winning 4/1/17 for 4 - bloody brilliant bowling from the man from Retford.
Riley bowls his third with the 19th starting it with 2 for 14. He has him is all kinds of trouble looking to ramp the fact bowler. He gets it all wrong and it goes into the air off something to be caught by Thomas Rew. The umpires review it and it came off the bat so D=Sanderson leaves for 1 and Sales is in as the last man at 141 for 9. Riley welcomes James to the crease with a short ball that has him crouching. He finishes with 21 for 3 off his 4 and hopefully his work is done for the day.
143 for 9 with 6 balls to go and Dan Sams taking the job on. First is a dot. Ther last man is out as Harrisong fires it into the hands of Riley on the boundary. All out for 143. A good bowling performance from the boys with Jake Ball the pick of a very very good crop. We've given ourselves the platfrom most definitely. Now the bats need to turn up!!
I've seen teams (us) defend about 135 here so this game is not yet over. We do have to feel like we are in this one though.
The Reply
Bants opens with Will Smeed and he is out first ball to Willey caught behind for 0. Got to hope this is NOT his last white ball innings of the year. But this game is not over anytime soon I'm afraid. 1 for 1 as Thomas Rew gets ff the mark with a single followed by his partner the next ball. 5 for 1 after 1 and Sanderson bowling the second from the Pavilion.
Thomas Rew does not stay long as Sanderson sends him on his way caught by McManus for 4 from 4 at 6 for 2. He is replaced by his brother and they finish the second looking down the barrell a bit at 8 for 2. This is like the Yorkshire game with nothing being certain on this stripat the moment.
Willey continues with the third and he sends the older Rew back looking to sweep him and being bowled around his knees. Rews should NEVER sweep. In comes TKC and it is 12 for 3 after 3. Not looking good people. Northants definitely think there is 'blood in the water' here. The present two need to disabuse them of that belief if we are going to get near winning this one.
Sanderson also continues from the Pavilion and he keeps us honest as we move to 19 from 4 with both bats on 5. Luke Proctor is the first change with the 5th fromthe Pavilion at 24 for 3. Smeedy drives him for the first pretty confident boundary strike from the bat. He adds another to that (a little too close to the fielder for my liking) from the next ball. Then cuts him through the covers for a third boundary. The six more and then another followed by as he takes 28 off the over and we move to 52 for 3 off the last one. Light and shade of Somerset batting!!
Saif Zaib takes the first after the 'Powerplay' and we hope things calm down a little with TKC moving to 6 while Will has moved on to 37!! At 57 for 3 Northants introduce James Sales for the 8th and his variation of pace has Tom wondering and cautious. Not a bad thing. They then introduce the spin of Calvin Harriison for the 9th and Smeed is nearly foxed by his first delivery. His second is swept to the boundaryu to bring up the 50 partnership and move the RR rate to below 80 it also moves Will to 45 but TKC is possibly LBW with the 4th ball. They review but Northants look confident. But the ball is missing so he stays!! 66 for 3 after 9.
Sales continues after only leaking 4 from his first and with the help of some good infielding from the Steelbacks he keeps the score down in his second as well. At the halfway mark we have 69 for 3. Northants were 74 for 3 at the same time. We need 75 from 60 balls to go forwards.
Harrison continues with the slow stuff in the 11th and a quick single sees a Smeed dive saving him from a run out. He celebrates by getting off strike and moving to 49. 73 for 3 after 11 and Sales bowls his third. Will does not make it to 50 as an edge to the next ball is briliantly caught by keeper McManus and he goes for a 35 ball 49. We did not need that!! It might be very very relevant.
Gregory is in and we need a captain's innings from him. We still need 69 to win. He is off the mark with a single. He then straight drive and totals the stumps with TKC out of his crease but nobody touches the ball Thank God. Sales bowls a really good over with a wicket in it and we are still under the cosh as Zaib takes the next one.
A bit of pressure is released with a City End six from TKC but only a bit. With 14 gone we need 53 at 91 for 4 and we take that to 50 off Harrison with a straigh driven single fro the skipper. TKC then knocks it under that as we move in on 3 figures. It is still hard work thouh and we are still short of 100 with 30 balls to go. We need a BIG over as they bring Willey back for his last with the 16th. Gregory tries to go long and he doesn't. He is caught on the straight boundary in front of the pavilion for 13 from 15 at 98 for 5 and now we are into the sloggers. In comes Dan Sams and he plays only 1 way!!
The 100 arrives in the 16th but we are still short of what we need and that BIG over is still a requirement at 100 for 5 with 4 to go. Harrison may be the man they target - but can we do it? TKC needs to come to this party I think for us to go through.
TKC leaves the party with a pretty dismal dismissal edging to Sales and he leaves with a disappointing 29 from 37 when we needed much more. Oh dear, we are back asking Craig pull us through another game. we need 38 from 18 as Sanderson takes the 18th at 106 for 6. Sorry, we can't do this two games running
He doesn't as He goes for 5 from 3 being caught very well by a dual effort on the boundary. Finally caught by Zaib off Sanderson.
They send in Riley at 112 for 7. Dan Sams makes that 118 for 7 and is then nearly caught at the end of the 18th We need 25 from 2 at 119 for 7. They bring back Proctor after Smeed took him apart in his first. He has something to prove but Sams will go after him one would imagine. He goes high wide and handsome but it drops inside the rope and he is out for 13 from 10 and that is effectively it as Jack comes out for the last rites needing 23 from 8. We were always behind this one and you can only expect heroics to get you out of the mire on the odd occasion. The front end has not turned up and the bowling excellence has not been built on by the men with the bat. Tom Banton ends with a disappointing couple of innings. The Rews both went cheaply and it has all come to aend at the semi final stage. Still a good shout but we could have gone further had we built on a great second half of the group stages. Just a heroic innings too far I suppose. Riley and Jack see it out but that is all they do. Somerset finish on 126 as Sanderson bowls Leach with the last ball and fail by 18 runs to reach another final I'm afraid. Such is life 126 for 9 faces 143 all out and the dream comes to an end on Saturday afternoon instead of the late evening.
We weren't good enough with the bat against Yorkshire. Craig Overton was. We were still not good enough with the bat against Northants and heroes can't save you every time. The other side have to make mistakes and the opposition have learned that by doing it twice against us in the last month. They weren't going to do it a third time.
Tom Banton has been so out of form and simply not at the level we needed from him. Both Rew brothers have been off the boil with the bat and their hands either together or seperately in games at the end of this T20 series and we needed them to be there when they simply weren't. TKC seems to have been carrying an injury which has not stopped him batting but seems to have curtailed what he can do. Will Smeed has carried the front end on his own and hoped for support from the number 6 onwards. Today it didn't come and so we go home 'potless'.
Let's hope the end of the season brings us something more but it's Metro50 time now until the backend of August.
"It's Summer Cricket Jim but not as we know it!!"
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Usual closed thread for the report with the main Finals thread for comment. Will sort out the merge at the end of the day. There will be a second report thread if we need it for a second game.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2026:07:21:11:06:07 by Grockle.
Tom Banton will be available for Somerset tomorrow and back with England for Sunday (doubt he'll play there to be honest). He has to hope he will have a better last innings than the Yorkshire one was going to be.
The boys werew going straight from Leeds to stay in Sheffield before moving down to Brum today to prep. Presently we plan to be there but it depends on parking as I have to travel up and back tomorrow rather than staying overnight so we'll see.
For those going have a great day. Remember, none of this was planned. Even if you had faith they would make the quarters you really can't have believed we would be in Birmingham at 7:30 on Wednesday night. So enjoy what there is and appreciate the opportunity to be there again.
#WeareSomerset and we are never beaten until the last ball.
2) T Rew
3) Banton/TKC
4) J Rew
5) Abell/TKC/Thomas
6) Gregory
7) Overton
8) Sams
9) Goldsworthy
10) Meredith
11) Ball/Leach
Pitch dependent. Not sure TKC is worth his place given recent form, but a big ask to bring Tom A. back on Final’s day, given zero cricket of late.
Would love to see the team make history & become the first to retain the Trophy.
Here’s hoping !
Grizzers
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2026:07:17:14:00:39 by Grizzers.
Interestingly, they have included Jack Leach in their 15-man squad, and there would also be a spinning option should Archie Vaughan or Josh Thomas be elevated into the final 11.
Incidentally, has the One Day Cup captain been named yet? I thought Lewis would have been a possible.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2026:07:17:15:23:40 by Grockle.
Rew T, Smeed, Banton, Rew J, TKC, Gregory, Thomas, Sams, Abell, Overton, Vaughan, Leach, Meredith, Ball, Shaw
I missed Tom Abell at number 9 on the list.
Don't feel nervous coming to these any more after believing the Richard Walsh 18 year theory and finally seeing Somerset win a white ball final live for the first time in 2023.
Having said that I HAD to wear the same shirt today that I have worn t our wins - though I know it makes absolutely no difference and to be honest... everything that happens today is something we did not expect around the Trent Bridge CC1 game this season.
Have a good day one and all - we will cover the Semi AND the Final (if we need to).
#WeAreSomerset and will still be irrespective of what happens in the next bunch of hours.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2026:07:18:10:05:39 by Grockle.
A semifinal that came down to two miraculous catches.
We @#$%& up the quarter and Craig got us back into it. We @#$%& up the semi and he couldn't.
We needed Tom Abell in with Will Smeed and that did not happen. Might have played Josh Thomas and his spin rather than Jack and his lack of batting given the woeful form of Tom Banton (bye bye Tom for the season - good luck with your new career if that is how you intend to bat in games from now on).
Definitely not sure that TKC is playing fully fit, he does seem to have an awful lot of strapping on his hand still. Tom Abell fielded which suggested he was fit to play so I don't know about that one.
The heroics are 'heroic' because they don't happen often. If you want to be long term heroes, you have to turn up mob handed for most games and we haven't too many times in the T20 this season. We were flattered by our inclusion and not there when the pigeons came home to roost!!
*Banton pulled a quad fielding, saving a boundary. Strapped up and sent out to open in the hope this might help reduce the amount of running he'd have to do vs coming in at 5 as planned.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2026:07:18:15:36:39 by Devonboy70.
It made me think what is different from last years match.
Last years team was - Somerset (Playing XI): Will Smeed(w), Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Tom Abell, James Rew, Sean Dickson, Lewis Gregory(c), Ben Green, Craig Overton, Migael Pretorius, Lewis Goldsworthy, Jake Ball
Can you see the missing players
This year we had team members in and out of the team due to injury, due to international call ups (Meredith and James Rew as well as Banton) and due to attempts to tweak the team when things weren't going well. Whereas it's easy to say the batting was most affected by injury, the absence of Meredith for the first half of the group stages had a big impact- its no coincidence that back in early June there were calls for kicking Ball out of the side or at least not giving him the death overs, yet today he could gave been hailed the hero. The death overs partnership of bowlers is as crucial as the opening batters in the powerplay. Last and definitely not least the fielding - Tom Abell was a huge miss, and not just for his middle order, rescue a poor start, or stick the knife in after a good start, batting.
Finally the missing/added players. Dicko was a supreme finisher - he still is, as he has shown for Glamorgan. Ben Green was one of those players who one day would get you three-for, the next a quick 24 (11) when you needed an extra boost at the end of the innings. And some days neither. But he was a cog in the Somerset machine. Who has replaced these? Sams tbf has been the Green replacement - an overseas upgrade with top-of-the-range boundary fielding. Our two new batters may have talent in abundance but they are still learning their craft at this format. Thomas looked happier at the top of the order. James needs time and we'll see more of the type of innings he played when he returned from England duty. Probably no surprise that it took the wily old pair of Sanderson and Willey, who have been playing the Blast since the two brothers were playing in the sandpit at home, to get them out.
I think individual players and the club as a whole have learned a lot in this year's competition. To have got to Finals Day from where they were in the mid-season break showed a lot of improvement and determination. There's a reason no team has won back-to-back titles. It's blooming difficult. It takes talent, hard work, and not a small amount of luck. Some days the luck is with Craig Overton, some days it's with David Willey. And there's always another day.
In truth, Craig's heroics aside, we didn't really deserve to reach final's day this year, but having done so, it was a pity we didn't again show what we are capable of.
Grizzers
The bowlers did everything we could have asked of them and the batting, except for Will Smeed, who is a much improved operner in these games for me, was disappointing to say the least when we know what this side can actually do!!
But it's done and had we been offered this end to our Blast campaign at the start I think most of us would have accepted it as a better result than most of us would have expected.