Match preview: Gloucestershire v Somerset
8 June 2022
Gloucestershire welcome local rivals Somerset to the Seat Unique Stadium on Thursday evening for the highly-anticipated West Country Derby. Dale Benkenstein’s side will be hoping to make it three Vitality Blast wins in a row when the two sides go head-to-head at 6:30pm tomorrow night.
The Shire are in a good run of form and go into the match v second-placed Somerset having recorded a five-wicket victory away at Glamorgan on Tuesday night. That victory means Glos have won three out of their last four T20 matches and have climbed into the top four of the South Group.
James Bracey with a terrific 63 and Glenn Phillips with two wickets and 40 runs led Glos to victory in Cardiff. Captained by Jack Taylor, Glos are unbeaten at home so far in the Vitality Blast and will be hoping to topple high-flying Somerset to maintain their good run of form.
Somerset haven’t played since last Friday night when they recorded a nine-wicket win at home to Glamorgan. The side, captained by Tom Abell have won four of their five matches so far and could jump to the top of the table with a win in Bristol. Their only defeat of the tournament came against Sussex Sharks, on Wednesday 1 June, a match which they lost by 47 runs.
Last time out v Glamorgan, Will Smeed hit an unbeaten 94 off 41 balls. Rilee Rossouw has also starred so far for Somerset and in the match v Sussex, scored 74 runs off just 29 balls.
Gloucestershire v Somerset | T20 Vitality Blast matchday six | Watch every ball on the Gloscricket Match Centre HERE | 6.30pm Start Time
Gloucestershire have made only one change to the squad that travelled to Glamorgan for the Somerset Fixture, George Scott being the only addition.
Unfortunately The Shire are still without bowlers Paul van Meekeren, who has suffered an ankle injury and Naseem Shah, who has returned home to Pakistan for a period of time due to a family emergency.
Chris Dent, who has played in Second XI fixtures recently as part of his recovery, Ben Charlesworth and Graeme van Buuren, also remain unavailable for selection.
Here’s your 14-man squad to face Somerset:
Head-to-head:
Gloucestershire have faced Somerset 38 times in T20 cricket.
Glos have won 14 of the matches while Somerset have come out on top 15 times. Seven games have been abandoned and there have been two no results.
Somerset squad to face Gloucestershire: Tom Abell (c), Tom Banton, George Bartlett, Jack Brooks, Josh Davey, Marchant de Lange, Lewis Goldsworthy, Ben Green, Lewis Gregory, Tom Lammonby, Rilee Rossouw, Peter Siddle, Will Smeed and Roelof van der Merwe.
Gloucestershire v Somerset | T20 Vitality Blast matchday six | Watch every ball on the Gloscricket Match Centre HERE | 6.30pm Start Time
