REPORT & INTERVIEW | Falcons fall to disappointing defeat against Somerset

Somerset kept their slim hopes of reaching the Vitality Blast knock-out stages alive with a convincing 27 run victory over Derbyshire Falcons at The OurCoop County Ground in Derby.

Will Smeed’s superb 89 including six sixes off 51 balls took the holders to 214 for 6 with Martin Andersson taking 3 for 33 for the Falcons.

Aneurin Donald threatened to pull off a memorable chase with 65 off 27 balls but after he fell to Craig Overton, Somerset bowled with impressive discipline to restrict the Falcons to 187 for 7, Daniel Sams finishing with 3 for 29.

In only the second T20 game between the teams, Smeed and Thomas Rew took 61 from the powerplay before two wickets in consecutive overs slowed their progress.

Thomas Rew was bowled by an Andersson slower ball for 39 off 22 balls and his brother James top edged a sweep off Sufyan Moqim.

After 10 overs, Somerset were 88 for 2 and the Falcons were building pressure until Tom Kohler-Cadmore launched Jack Morley for successive sixes in the 12th over.

Smeed reached 50 from 33 balls and celebrated with a big six over wide long on off Moqim and another off Potts in the 16th over.

He launched Potts for another over midwicket and drove the seamer over cover for a third maximum in the over before Kohler-Cadmore missed a big swing to end a stand of 94 from 47 balls.

The over, which included three wides, cost 28 but Smeed’s hopes of a hundred ended in the 17th when he missed a big drive at Moqim.

Andersson took two wickets in the 19th, but Overton gave the innings a final flourish by hitting the last two balls for four.

The Falcons needed a big response from Donald and he did not disappoint by blasting five sixes in an 18-ball 50.

Jake Ball bowled Andersson but Donald was the one Somerset wanted and Overton delivered when he had him caught at deep midwicket off the last ball of the powerplay.

Somerset started to squeeze the hosts and the pressure told as Harry Came pulled Daniel Sams to backward square before Matthew Montgomery swung Ball to deep midwicket.

The rate climbed to above 15 an over and the Falcons fading hopes ended when Sams yorked Wayne Madsen in the 18th over.