‘Somerset's quadruple has gone, but the treble is still alive’

All of the trains travelling from Taunton and Bristol to the West Midlands on Saturday morning were full of fans, many in their replica Somerset T20 kits, and likewise each of the service stations up the M5 were awash with supporters making their way to the Vitality Blast Finals Day - and some even sported fancy dress. 

Cidermen fans knew that they had to be there early because their team of local heroes were due on the big stage for the first of the two semi-finals at 11am when they faced Surrey, who they had beaten in the county championship less than 48 hours earlier.

Having already won the Second XI T20 Trophy, Somerset were chasing an elusive quadruple - which to achieve they needed to win the Vitality Blast at Edgbaston, the Metro Bank One Day Cup at Trent Bridge next weekend and the County Championship- a feat never previously achieved.

It was a big ask but many of the diehard Somerset supporters believed that their team made up predominantly of local boys who had been developed through the club’s excellent Academy were more than capable of the task.

The toss was made at 10.30am and it was announced that Somerset had won and asked Surrey to bat first. Just before 11, the teams were announced, the gas burners blasted into action and the team appeared onto the pitch to a huge and excited roar led by captain Lewis Gregory followed by the Surrey batters.

When the game started, Surrey went off at a rate of knots and reached 26 off 11 balls before Dan Lawrence was caught by Tom Abell off the bowling of Josh Davey.

Roelof van der Merwe took the pace off the ball when he came into the attack for the sixth over after which Somerset kept up the pressure and limited Surrey to 153 for nine.

Gloucestershire's Jack Taylor lifts the Vitality Blast trophy. (Image: Nigel French/PA)

Gregory was the pick of the bowlers with three for 15 while Davey claimed three for 34.

Somerset in reply lost Tom Kohler-Cadmore leg before wicket to the first ball of the innings and then in the second over new batter Tom Abell was out caught.

Worse was to follow when Will Smeed was caught by ‘keeper Jamie Smith making Somerset seven for three after the first ball of the third over and staring into the abyss.

Cue James Rew, the replacement for the injured Tom Banton, who walked out to the middle to join Sean Dickson. What followed during the course of the next 16 or so overs was what every Somerset fan hoped  and prayed for but hardly dared to dream about.

Against the odds, the duo first of all steadied the situation and then growing in confidence started to dominate the bowlers.

They were within touching distance of their target but on 151 Dickson went for 78 off 57 balls with eight fours and three sixes. The fifth wicket partnership of 144 was the highest ever recorded on finals day since the T20 competition was introduced in 2003

Fittingly, it was left to Gregory to score the winning runs to see Somerset home to a five-wicket victory with five balls left.

Rew remained unbeaten on 62 off 44 with five fours and three sixes, not bad for a 20 year old playing in only his second ever T20 match, while Gregory was not out six.

That was the first part of the job done and now Somerset had to sit and watch the second semi-final between Sussex and Gloucestershire to find out who their opponents would be in the final.

In the event, the second semi final was not much of a contest as Sussex were bowled out for 106 in 18.1 overs which west country rivals Gloucestershire made light work of reaching their target for the loss of two wickets in the 14th over.

If Somerset thought that the final was going to be easy, then they were very much mistaken and, during the hour or so that intervened, their supporters were wondering if there would be any changes made to the team given the way that Gloucestershire had performed on the wicket.

When the two teams were announced, Somerset were unchanged and after, losing the toss, would bat first.

Once again, the top order failed to fire and the rest of the batters struggled to score against an accurate and well-drilled Gloucestershire attack that took the pace off the ball.

Somerset slipped to 42 for four in the seventh over and it was left to skipper Gregory to try to put a defendable total on the board.

Sadly, nobody else stayed with him and after he was out for 53 which he scored off 37 balls and included three fours and two sixes Somerset  were all out for 124 in 19.4 overs.

When the Gloucesters replied they never looked in trouble as openers Cameron Bancroft and Miles Hammond took the score onto 112 before Davey had Bancroft caught on the boundary by Will Smeed for 53 in the 14th over.

Ollie Price hit the winning runs with a six off Jake Ball to see his side to 129 for two with five overs to spare.

Not only did Gloucestershire win the  final they had beaten Somerset for the third time in their T20 meetings this season.

The dream of the quadruple had gone, but despite their defeat the Somerset supporters slowly drifted away from another disappointing finals day, knowing that on Tuesday their heroes would take then next step in trying to win the holy grail - the county championship - when they face Lancashire at Old Trafford and then next Sunday their young guns would be taking on Glamorgan at Trent Bridge in the Metro Bank One Day Final.

The quadruple has gone, but the treble is still alive - ask the fans!