Captain Lewis Gregory savoured Somerset shedding their “nearly men” tag as they claimed a first Vitality Blast crown in 18 years.
While they won the competition in 2005, Somerset had been unrewarded on their previous seven visits to Finals Day, finishing runners-up in three successive years in 2009, 2010 and 2011 then again in 2021.
But a couple of accomplished bowling displays – in which they defended sub-150 totals against both Surrey in the semi-final then Essex in the Edgbaston showpiece – saw them belatedly end their hoodoo.
Gregory was beaming after Matt Henry’s four for 24 underpinned a 14-run win over Essex, who were all out for 131 in 18.3 overs when Daniel Sams was dismissed for a belligerent 45 off 26 balls.
“(It feels) pretty damn good,” said a relieved Gregory at the presentation ceremony. “I’ve been to finals day many, many times and this is a special feeling to get over the line.
“Everyone sees Somerset as the nearly men, and it becomes harder each time you come back. I was just praying we had a couple of guys who were having on of those days where you just can’t stop them.
“We did it the hard way throughout the day, it’s just rewards.”
A score of 142 for seven – in a match reduced to 19 overs per side because of rain – was enough for Somerset to move into Saturday night’s final, where they were all out for 145 in exactly 20 overs.
Adam Rossington and Dan Lawrence flew out of the traps for Essex, putting on 27 in 11 deliveries, but they were halted in their tracks by an accomplished spell of fast bowling from Henry, who took out both batters then produced the ball of the day with a bail-trimmer to see the back of Michael Pepper.
Ish Sodhi, signed on a short-term deal last month due to injuries to Peter Siddle and Roelof van der Merwe, made crucial inroads into Essex’s batting, with the New Zealand leg-spinner taking three for 22.
However, Sams played a lone hand to keep Essex in the game, prompting Gregory to turn to his ace Henry, who saw the first ball of his final over dispatched for a towering, straight six.
It was his third maximum of the game and left Essex needing 15 off the last 11 deliveries with just one wicket left, but a dot was followed by Henry offering width and Sams carving to short third, where Tom Kohler-Cadmore plucked the ball out of the air with a terrific one-handed grab.
“It’s going to be played a lot over the next wee while,” said Sodhi.
“He took an absolute hanger and it’s definitely one of the most exciting moments in my cricketing career so far, I’m glad he hung on to it because Sams is a dangerous player.
“T20 is a fickle game, with 15 runs left it’s effectively two and a half hits and you win the game, and Sams is well capable of that. It makes that catch that Tom took all that more special.”
Victory for Somerset marks the fifth successive occasion that the team who prevailed in the second semi-final also won the final.
While Sams was at the crease, Essex were always in with a chance but captain Simon Harmer felt the Australian’s dismissal to a breathtaking catch was one of many things that did not go their way.
Harmer conceded Somerset, who lost just twice in the entire campaign, were worthy winners but rued what he perceived to be luck being against them, having reached the final by defeating defending champions Hampshire.
“Hats off to Somerset, they were the better team – they outplayed us,” Harmer said. “We didn’t get the rub of the green, in my opinion, and on days like this, you need a bit of luck.
“I can’t fault the way the boys played it. At the very end Daniel Sams just needed someone to bat with him and unfortunately we kept losing wickets. Such is the nature of the game.”
Narine, Hinds on the losing end of court ruling regarding bar rental
Trinidad and Tobago cricketers Sunil Narine and Terrence Hinds have found themselves on the losing side of a court ruling and are now left to fork up just over $60,000 after a business arrangement with a former landlord went sideways.
Justice Ricky Rahim ordered Narine and Hinds to compensate Dave Kangal for a breach of contract after they rented a bar from the claimant at Oropune Gardens in Piarco.
Though Narine’s role in the issue is unfortunate as he was merely rendering financial assistance to Hinds in the business venture, the judge could not ignore the fact that he was also named as a tenant on the agreement dated July 1, 2020.
Interestingly, it was the players that first took Kangal to court, citing a breach of a tenancy contract, before the landlord counterclaimed and won. As such, Narine and Hinds will have to pay $62,246.90 plus interest as outstanding rent, as well as a half of Kangal’s legal fees.
According to Trinidad Express, the judge, in his written ruling delivered on Thursday, found that the two were actually owing Kangal $130,500 in unpaid rent. However, the figure was reduced as the court also found that Narine and Hinds were to be reimbursed $68,263.10 for renovations and improvements to the bar.
Hinds contended that $100,000 was actually spent on renovations and improvements, but he was unable to present some of the receipts to support his claim.
“The chips must lie where they fall. On the other hand, the court was taken aback by the tenor of the dealings between Terrance and Anna (Hinds' sister) on one hand and the defendant on the other,” the judge shared.
“There is a strong inference that they sought to take advantage of the apparent lack of understanding and naivete to a certain extent of the defendant to his disadvantage and to their benefit,” he added.
Mooney's 43* guides Australia to win over Sri Lanka
Australia produced a strong showing as they defeated Sri Lanka by six wickets to get the defense of their ICC Women’s T20 World Cup crown off to the best possible start.
Sri Lanka chose to bat first in Sharjah but struggled to 93 for seven, with Nilakshika Silva top scoring with an unbeaten 29.
Australia showed it was not easy going for either team but could rely on Beth Mooney, who battled through the energy-sapping sun to make 43 not out and see her team home with 5.4 overs to spare.
Sri Lanka needed a positive start against the world number one side, who put the squeeze on from the outset - with 10 balls passing until the first run was scored and Vishmi Gunaratne departing for a duck.
Captain, Chamari Athapaththu soon followed for just three as Australia successfully reviewed an LBW decision with Ashleigh Gardner claiming her first wicket.
Sri Lanka’s first boundary came as Harshitha Samarawickrama took advantage of a free hit with a four after Australia’s third no ball of the innings.
Australia made some unwanted history with a record fifth no ball as Darcie Brown's first over cost 12, taking Sri Lanka to 23 for two at the end of the powerplay. They regained control when Sophie Molineux picked up their third LBW wicket of the innings and Sri Lanka lost the second of their two reviews.
Samarawickrama helped push the score to 43 for three at the halfway stage and was reprieved on 20 as Brown put down a catch as she slid in from extra cover.
The wicketkeeper made only three more runs however, as Molineux got her second wicket with a simple caught and bowled on an impressive return to the World Cup stage after injury trouble.
Silva provided some resistance without improving the scoring rate, finishing on 29 not out from 40 balls.
Her 34-run partnership with Anushka Sanjeewani was ended by Megan Schutt, who took two wickets in two balls to tie Shabnim Ismail for the most T20 World Cup wickets with 43 as Sri Lanka posted 93 for seven.
Australia lost captain Alyssa Healy in the opening over of the reply as she was clean bowled by Udeshika Prabodhani.
The gamble to promote Georgia Wareham up the order did not pay off as she was run out thanks to smart fielding from Kavisha Dilhari to leave Australia at 14 for two.
It was left to the uber-calm Mooney to steer the chase and she steered Australia to 62 for three at the halfway stage alongside Gardner.
The partnership was eventually broken at 43 as Gardner skied a shot that Samarawickrama gladly gobbled up, but it only postponed the inevitable.
Mooney ended on 43 not out, as she picked up where she left off in World Cup cricket, having been named Player of the Final in 2023 for her 78 not out in their victory.
Australia too continued their winning form at World Cups with a 12th victory in a row to triumph by six wickets.
Scores in brief
Australia v Sri Lanka at Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
Sri Lanka 93/7 in 20 overs (Nilakshika Silva 29 not out, Harshitha Samarawickrama 23; Megan Schutt 3/12, Sophie Molineux 2/20)
Australia 94/4 in 14.2 overs (Beth Mooney 43 not out, Ellyse Perry 17; Sugandika Kumari 1/16, Udeshika Prabodani 1/19)
Result: Australia won by six wickets
Matthews hopeful Windies can bounce back against Scotland on Sunday
After an undesirable start to their Women’s T20 World Cup campaign, West Indies Women’s captain Hayley Matthews is hopeful that her team can turn around their fortune and possibly challenge for a spot in the semi-final.
Matthews’ optimism follows their 10-wicket hammering by South Africa in their opening fixture in Dubai on Friday.
In that contest, Matthews believes her team failed to properly acclimatize to the conditions, as they mustered a meagre 118 for six in their 20 overs. South Africa, led by half-centuries from Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits, then made light work of the target at 119 without loss in 17.5 overs.
However, with Scotland being the Caribbean side’s next assignment on Sunday morning, Matthews says they will have to pick up the pieces and bounce back.
“Obviously a pretty disappointing game (against South Africa). Firstly, not scoring enough runs on the board, and we would have liked to have taken a few wickets and at least put up a bit more of a fight in the second innings,” Matthews said.
“But with a game in two days’ time, we’re going to have to get things back together quickly and pick up the pieces and go again,” she added.
Reflecting on the outcome against South Africa, Matthews felt her team was undone by challenging conditions.
“It’s pretty hot here in Dubai. I’d probably have to say the hottest place I’ve ever played cricket or even been, and that’s someone coming from the West Indies. It’s definitely been some difficult conditions. We’ve been here for about two weeks, thankfully, and we’ve been able to acclimatise as much as we possibly can to conditions like this,” Matthews shared.
She continued: “I think we came down here expecting some pretty good wickets. We’ve camped here quite a bit when we went to Pakistan in April, and we tend to spend some time down here training, so we knew what the ICC Academy grounds were like, and those were pretty decent wickets early.
“It wasn’t a bad wicket. South Africa showed you can really bat on a wicket like that and even us in parts. Stafanie Taylor was able to take charge of the game as well throughout the middle. I don’t think the conditions surprised us too much. We probably just didn’t adapt to them as well.”
Matthews also addressed concerns surrounding Zaida James, who was hit in the face, and Taylor, who appeared to be cramping and had difficulty running between the wickets.
“For Zaida, it was pretty much just a knock on her face. I think the seam might have hit her in the face, so she was in a bit of discomfort. There’s a bit of swelling around her jaw, but she’s a tough girl, so hopefully it’s just one of those knocks that you get on the field, and hopefully she’ll be able to be out on the field for the next match,” Matthews noted.
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