Somerset continue to assert their dominance in the Vitality Blast as James Rew’s electrifying innings steered them to a comfortable seven-wicket victory against Warwickshire Bears at Edgbaston. With this win, Somerset remains unbeaten with two wins from two games under captain Luke Gregory.
Warwickshire posted a competitive total of 189 for six, bolstered by Sam Hain’s quickfire 52 off 35 balls, Rob Yates’ steady 42, and Beau Webster’s 41. The Bears looked to set a challenging target early on, with some aggressive hitting in the powerplay overs. However, despite a resilient effort featuring 28 runs off just 11 balls from Ed Barnard, Warwickshire fell short.
Somerset’s chase was anchored by Tom Banton’s lively 47 off 26 deliveries, setting the stage perfectly for Rew’s masterclass. Rew dazzled with an unbeaten 93 from 48 balls, hammering nine fours and four sixes. His late surge against spinners Usman Tariq and Tazeem Ali turned the game decisively in Somerset’s favor. The defending champions reached 193 for three with ten balls to spare, securing a commanding finish.
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The match saw some tight moments, including an unfortunate run-out of Tom Banton after a superb counterattack. Nevertheless, Rew kept his composure and powered Somerset home with flair and confidence. His innings was met with enthusiastic applause from the home crowd, affirming his status as a rising talent in white-ball cricket.
With two wins from two, Somerset have started the Blast in formidable fashion, signaling their intent to defend their title vigorously. On the other hand, Warwickshire faces an uphill battle to break their string of quarter-final exits in the tournament’s history.
Reflecting on his performance, Rew said, “It felt like we bowled really well again… We felt we were right in the game at halfway. Then it was nice to find the middle of the bat and play a few shots. White-ball batting can be more fun, like it was today. Winning games of T20 for Somerset is great fun, especially in front of big crowds.”
Rew added that pacing his innings to give himself a chance was key. “On this ground, we knew we could score quickly towards the back end. It was just about taking it deep and giving ourselves a chance—and things came together nicely.”
Somerset look well poised to remain a dominant force in the competition as they continue their title defense, while Warwickshire aims to regroup and reverse their early setbacks.