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Glos' Blast Campaign Ends at Taunton

18 July 2021

Gloucestershire’s Vitality Blast campaign came to an end as Tom Lammonby smashed a career-best 90 off just 36 balls to give Somerset a 23-run victory at Taunton. 

Going in at number six, the 21-year-old left-hander blasted 11 fours and 4 sixes to transform a previously slovenly Somerset innings and lead them to 183 for seven in blazing sunshine. 

Gloucestershire, needing a win to qualify from the group, replied with 160 for six, Ian Cockbain top-scoring with 72 off 46 balls. Craig Overton took two for 18 and Jack Brooks one for 19. 

David Payne started the game with four dot balls after Gloucestershire elected to field and had Devon Conway caught behind off the final delivery of the opening over. 

Dan Worrall and Josh Shaw provided decent support as the six-over powerplay saw Somerset score only 32, also losing Steve Davies, who fell hit-wicket to Payne. 

Benny Howell and Tom Smith bowled customary tight spells as only Will Smeed of the Somerset top order offered much attacking intent with 2 sixes in his 39. 

After 14 overs the scoreboard read 82 for four. But suddenly Lammonby cut loose in devastating fashion, Howell and Ryan Higgins bowling expensive overs before Worrall’s return to the attack for the 18th over. 

It began with 6,4,6, the first off a no-ball, as Lammonby, made good use of the ramp shot to move to a 22-ball fifty, and ended up costing the Aussie seamer 21 runs. 

Lammonby then took 20 off Payne in the 19th over, with four more boundaries. Roelof van der Merwe contributed just five to a sixth-wicket stand of 89 in 5.2 overs. 

When Lammonby was run out off the last ball of the innings, his last 17 balls faced had brought him 56 runs. 

All the momentum was with Somerset and skipper Overton bowled a wicket-maiden in the fifth over of Gloucestershire’s reply, removing Howell, as they struggled to 37 for two at the end of the powerplay. 

Miles Hammond had already fallen to Overton. Glenn Phillips hit the first six of the innings off Ben Green in the seventh over and was given a life on 14 off the next ball when Smeed spilled a steepling catch running in to mid-wicket. 

Green took his revenge in the tenth over as Phillips, on 29, skied again and Overton took the catch at extra cover. At the halfway point. Gloucestershire were 76 for three. 

Cockbain and Jack Taylor did their best to make a fight of it, adding 52 in 6.2 overs before Taylor, on 26, was yorked by Green, who conceded only four from the 16th over.  

Cockbain moved to a powerful 35-ball half-century and notched 4 sixes and 4 fours, but it wasn’t enough. 

Before the game Josh Davey and Max Waller were presented with Somerset county caps by club captain Tom Abell. 

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