Defending champs Somerset surge late to reach knockouts

Defending champions Somerset produced a late surge to seal their spot in the knockouts, with Will Smeed leading the charge.

Smeed powers the finish

Smeed played the key innings at the death, accelerating when Somerset needed runs to get over the line. Somerset turned it around late in the game/tournament to book their place in the next round.Knockout spot secured. The win keeps Somerset’s title defence alive as they advance to the knockout stage.

Australian quick Riley Meredith returned figures of 3 for 17 and former England spinner Jack Leach took 3 for 20 to undermine the chase as the Rapids were shot out for 116 in 16 overs despite a defiant knock of 39 from Gareth Roderick. A fifth win in six games saw the holders move above arch-rivals Gloucestershire on net run rate and finish second in the group behind Northamptonshire, while Worcestershire missed out on a quarter-final berth.

75-run powerplay assault

Smeed and Rew came out aggressively and put Worcestershire on the back foot right away. Smeed attacked both sides of the ground and launched Beyers Swanepoel for a huge six over midwicket. Rew matched him shot for shot. He timed the ball beautifully and hit two leg-side sixes in one Matthew Waite over to race to 50. He fell for 42 off 19 after misjudging a Waite slower ball and being bowled.

Smeed went to a 29-ball half century with two sixes and six fours, only to then hit a Taylor full toss to extra cover, while James Rew was pinned lbw by Waite after contributing a valuable 28. The advent of Lewis Gregory prompted a momentum shift, Somerset's captain raising 28 from15 deliveries before falling to Allison. Waite accounted for Daniel Sams to close with 3 for 39, but not before the home side had posted a competitive total.

Somerset were in control when Brett D'Oliveira drove Leach's first ball to long-on with the score 59 for 3 in the eighth. Succumbing to Sams, Kashif Ali edged a catch behind, departing in tame fashion as the Rapids further subsided to 80 for 4 at halfway.

Pace off proved an effective weapon for Somerset, Leach making a mess of Swanepoel's stumps as the home side turned the screw. When Leach bowled Roderick with the score 107 for 6 in the 14th, the game was up.