Vitality Blast Preview | Somerset v Glos
23 June 2023
Gloucestershire make the short trip to Taunton on Friday evening to face Somerset in the Vitality Blast for a second West County derby of the season.
Somerset continue to impress in the shorter format, having won nine of their eleven T20 fixtures this season. Gloucestershire meanwhile will look to bounce back from defeat on Thursday and put the Taunton qualification party on hold.
The 2023 Visit Cayman Islands Cheltenham Cricket Festival returns in July!
Tickets for Shire’s four day match against Glamorgan beginning on July 20th available here.
Team news
Dale Benkenstein selects a thirteen-player squad for the Somerset match, with Josh Shaw and Ajeet Singh Dale coming into the group. Singh Dale could become the ninth T20 debutant for the Club this season.
Zafar Gohar, Tom Price, and Matt Taylor are rotated out of the squad but will be available for selection for the County Championship fixture against Yorkshire beginning on Sunday.
Your 13-player Gloucestershire squad to face Somerset:
Miles Hammond*, Zaman Akhter, James Bracey, Ben Charlesworth, David Payne, Ollie Price, Grant Roelofsen, Josh Shaw, Ajeet Singh Dale, Jack Taylor, Tom Smith, Graeme van Buuren, Ben Wells.
Last time out
Gloucestershire fell to defeat in Bristol on Thursday evening against Sussex Sharks, losing by seven wickets. Early wickets left the Shire 93/7 before lower-order runs by Matt Taylor and Tom Smith set the Sharks a target of 141.
The visitors scored quickly in response, reaching the required total inside fourteen overs. Tom Smith took two more Blast wickets, taking his tally for the Club to 139.
Our opponents
Somerset need one win to confirm a quarter-final place after nine wins places them top of the South Group.
Tom Abell will continue to captain the side in the absence of Lewis Gregory. Experienced campaigners Peter Siddle and Roelof van der Merwe also miss out through injury.
The Somerset squad to face Gloucestershire:
Tom Abell*, Will Smeed, Tom Banton, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Sean Dickson, Ben Green, Craig Overton, Josh Davey, Matt Henry, Tom Lammonby, Shoaib Bashir, Kasey Aldridge and James Rew.
Last meeting
Glos hosted Somerset in the Blast earlier this month, with Will Smeed hitting a superb 94 as the visitors set Gloucestershire 232 to win.
An encouraging early partnership between Miles Hammond and Ben Charlesworth saw Shire keep with the rate initially, but excellent bowling by Josh Davey, Shoaib Bashir and Roelof van der Merwe ensured Somerset eventually ran out 80-run victors.
How to watch
Gloucestershire face Somerset in the Vitality Blast at 18:30 on Friday 23 June at the Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol.
The game can be watched live in the Glos Cricket Match Centre. Coverage begins at 18:15.
