Tom's Hat-Trick Not Enough To Cap Big Day
26 August 2013
Tom Smith admitted the thrill of taking a hat-trick in front of a packed County Ground crowd had been overshadowed by Gloucestershire's 12-run Yorkshire Bank 40 defeat at the hands of Somerset.
The result put the visitors in the semi-finals as Group C winners. They will face Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge, while Glamorgan, who qualified as best runners-up, visit Hampshire.
Results elsewhere meant that even with a victory Gloucestershire would not have made the last four, but Smith was still left bitterly disappointed, despite his own personal achievement.
The left-arm spinner, on loan from Middlesex, removed Craig Meschede and Lewis Gregory with the last two balls of the 30th over and then bowled Piyush Chawla with the first delivery of the 32nd over.
Tom told this website: "I didn't realise straight away what I had done. Benny Howell came rushing over saying 'Was that a hat-trick?' and I shook my head.
"I thought there had been a ball in between the wickets and I was just concentrating on the next delivery. It was great when I realised that wasn't the case, but today was all about the team and not personal glory.
"It would have been wonderful to crown such a tremendous occasion by giving our supporters what they wanted.
"It was a massive day for the club and so well supported so it was a real shame we couldn't get over the line in a close match."
Somerset posted 258-9 after losing the toss, Jos Buttler top-scoring with 68 not out, while Smith and David Payne claimed three wickets each, Payne conceding only 35 runs from eight overs.
Gloucestershire were going well in reply when Michael Klinger, on 40, fell to a controversial catch by Chawla at short fine-leg off Steve Kirby with the total 92-1,
The skipper was given out after the umpires consulted, but clearly felt the ball had touched the ground before the catch was taken. His side were eventually restricted to 246-7.
Klinger declined to discuss the incident after the game, but Gloucestershire one-day coach Richard Dawson said: "Michael had his opinion and the umpires had theirs. These things happen as we have seen in the Ashes Series with a summer of controversial decisions.
"A lot of our batsmen got in and no one could go on to the big score we needed. We have discussed that in the dressing room and it is one of the things we need to improve on next season.
"The number of extras we conceded (34) is another area to work on. Teams like Somerset we have not been beating and we have to look at ways of competing more strongly against them.
"It was a local derby, a big day and there was a lot of pressure on. We are getting so close and the effort was there from all the players, but little things make the difference."
For more details of the Somerset game click on Cricket and then Match Reports.
