Somerset’s defence of the Vitality Blast title came to a disappointing end with a 17-run semi-final defeat to Northamptonshire Steelbacks at Edgbaston, leaving captain Jason Kerr “incredibly disappointed.”
Put into bat, the Steelbacks struggled to build momentum, bowled out for 143 in 19.2 overs. Jake Ball was outstanding with figures of 4-17, including a maiden over, while Riley Meredith contributed 3-21. Chris Lynn offered resistance, scoring 39 from 26 balls, but the disciplined Steelbacks bowling attack, backed by sharp fielding, never allowed the innings to really take off.
Defending a modest total, the Steelbacks excelled with the ball, restricting Somerset to 126-9. The home side started poorly, losing early wickets and sliding to 12-3. Nevertheless, a vital 49 off 35 balls from Will Smeed sparked hope. However, the persistent pressure from bowlers David Willey (3-21), Ben Sanderson (3-28), James Sales (1-16), and Calvin Harrison (1-20) curtailed Somerset’s chase.
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Kerr reflected on the match: “We are incredibly disappointed. At halfway, we were in a strong position but the batting performance mirrored our campaign — great in the first half and disappointing in the second. We fought back with Will’s impressive over but kept losing key wickets at crucial moments. Credit to Northants for executing their plan perfectly, especially with their yorkers. Calvin Harrison bowled exceptionally well. It’s frustrating because our goal was to retain the trophy after Wednesday’s success, but we needed a far better performance today.”
Somerset’s bowling made an immediate impact with two early lbw decisions against Ricardo Vasconcelos and Nathan McSweeney, both confirmed after reviews by Craig Overton and Meredith. Chris Lynn’s innings was stifled by tight bowling and barely faced deliveries for a prolonged period before being dismissed by Jake Ball after 16 minutes.
Lynn and Saif Zaib added a vital 65 runs, but Zaib’s dismissal to Ball ended hopes of a larger total. Ball continued to pick up wickets, including Lewis McManus and Luke Procter, supported by Meredith’s third wicket. The Steelbacks’ efforts ultimately fell short by around 25 runs.
Somerset’s reply started disastrously, losing three quick wickets due to sharp bowling from David Willey and Ben Sanderson. They briefly regained momentum towards the end of the powerplay, with Will Smeed showcasing aggressive strokeplay, including a fiery last over of the powerplay that went for 28 runs.
Smeed and Tom Kohler-Cadmore compiled a 62-run partnership but fell in succession, with key wickets falling to Sales and Harrison. Despite a late surge and some tight bowling from Procter, 23 runs came off Sanderson’s final over, which proved too costly for Somerset.
Ultimately, the discipline and tactical execution of Northamptonshire Steelbacks secured their place in the final, ending Somerset’s hopes of back-to-back Vitality Blast titles.