Somerset began their Vitality Blast season on a high, securing a five-wicket win against Surrey. Surrey, sent in to bat first, struggled to build momentum as wickets fell steadily throughout their innings. Jason Roy stood out with an impressive 92 off 54 balls, but the rest of the batting lineup could only muster 146 for 9.
Somerset’s bowlers set the tone early, with overseas stars Matt Henry and Riley Meredith sharing six wickets between them—Henry taking 3 for 21, Meredith 3 for 26. Their disciplined bowling kept Surrey’s total under control and gave Somerset a solid platform for the chase.
Opening the innings, Will Smeed contributed a solid 35, while strong partnerships with Tom Banton and Tom Kohler-Cadmore yielded 45 and 44 runs respectively for the first and second wickets. Despite a slight middle-order wobble, Somerset kept their composure.
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Captain Tom Abell played a crucial unbeaten 29, supported by Ben Green’s aggressive 23 not out off 16 balls. The duo steadied the innings with a vital 35-run partnership for the sixth wicket, calmly guiding Somerset to victory with 13 balls remaining. Green finished in style, dispatching Jordan for a six and a four in the seventeenth over.
Somerset’s balanced performance with both bat and ball sets a promising tone for their Vitality Blast campaign ahead.