Somerset, the giants of T20 cricket, are aiming to make history by becoming the first team to retain the Vitality Blast title as they kick off their campaign on Friday. Fresh from a thrilling triumph in 2025, where they secured their third Blast championship, Lewis Gregory’s side are determined to continue their dominance.
Last season marked Somerset’s fifth consecutive finals day appearance and their third straight final—a remarkable record in English domestic T20 cricket. With a few squad changes and challenges ahead, they are eager to extend this unprecedented run.
Key players Sean Dickson and Ben Green have departed for Glamorgan and Leicestershire respectively, while Australian fast bowler Riley Meredith will miss the opening rounds due to international duty. Tom Kohler-Cadmore is also sidelined with injury at the start of the campaign. However, this provides opportunities for emerging talents such as Tom Lammonby, brothers James and Thomas Rew, Josh Thomas, Alfie Ogborne, and Archie Vaughan to step up.
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Returning to bolster the side is Tom Banton, who missed early season action due to IPL commitments and injury. Alongside the final heroes Will Smeed, captain Lewis Gregory, Tom Abell, and Craig Overton—all instrumental in the County Championship—Somerset’s lineup remains formidable.
A significant addition this season is overseas all-rounder Daniel Sams. Boasting over 2,000 T20 runs and 250 wickets globally, including IPL, Big Bash, CPL, PSL, along with English county experience, Sams brings exciting new dimensions to Somerset’s attack.
Despite this, losing Meredith to Australia’s ODI squad for Pakistan and Bangladesh is a major setback, as he’ll be unavailable for the first six group matches. While options like registering Migael Pretorius or a last-minute signing exist, replacing Meredith’s genuine fast bowling threat will be tough.
On the eve of the Blast opener, Head Coach Jason Kerr shared his optimism: “It’s thrilling to start the campaign at home with a packed ground and great weather promised. The players have been highly motivated during a short turnaround from a challenging championship block. Despite missing players like Tom and Riley, these changes give others a chance to shine.”
This season’s format includes three groups of six teams, with Somerset competing in the Central group alongside Glamorgan, Gloucestershire, Northamptonshire Steelbacks, Warwickshire Bears, and Worcestershire Rapids. The top two sides, plus the two best third-placed teams, advance to the quarter-finals. Somerset’s first match is a home fixture against Hampshire, with an away tie at Derbyshire yet to come.
As Somerset embark on their quest to make history, fans hope for another thrilling season of T20 mastery from the reigning champions.