Somerset
Blast Game 4 - Return of the Glams
By Grockle
June 4 2026
The Glamorgan buys travel Taunton way this week after handing the West Country a hiding at Sophia Gardens less than a week ago. The man in the picture James Rew will NOT be with us tonight as he is learning how to carry English drinks at Lord's despite not being named in the 12 against New Zealand. However, the other bit of news is that Jordan Hermann, our red ball signing, has been extended to play T20 in the absence of Riley Meredith being here yet. We've also named Migael Pretorius in the squad as well so we have 3 overseas to choose from!!
Blast Game 4 - v Glamorgan @ Taunton Thursday 4 June 2026
The return fixture after being handed our backsides in Cardiff less than a week ago is a chance for us to get ourselves back on track but it also gave us a reality check on what needs doing to get us to another Quarter-final and possibly a sixth Finals day.
Jordan Hermann has altered his contract to make himself available for T20 in the absence of Riley Meredith and Migael Pretorius is also named in this squad.
The toss has taken place, Glamorgan have won and they will chase tonight. Thomas Rew will play tonight but he will then not be available for the other games this weekend - another loss to go with the others.
The side tonight is;
Josh Thomas, Tom Banton (wk), Jordan Hermann, Thomas Rew, Tom Abell, Lewis Gregory (c), Daniel Sams, Lewis Goldsworthy, Craig Overton, Josh Shaw, Jake Ball
Sean Dickson and Ned Leonard return to the ground as well tonight hoping for a good game. Josh Shaw and Jordan Hermann both make their T20 home debuts tonight.
Tom Banton faces the first from the River from Nathan McAndrew. Bants his his second to the Trade Nation stand for the first boundary of the evening (a later start this evening - possibly because SKY are here and the First Test is still on - 16 wickets down in the first day). 6 for 0 after 1. Josh will face Ned Leonard from the MT. He is off the mark courtesy of a misfield. Bants then puts the ex team-mate into the Ondaatje car park which moves the score to 21.
Douthwaite takes the third and Bants takes him for consecutive fours, the first to the Ondaatje, the second straight over his head. Bants gets one up the bat and it goes high. Jimmy Neesham gets there but he couldn't get his hands up to catch it.
McAndrew changes ends to the MT. Josh tries to kill Tom by hitting the ball straight back at him - please don't damage him as well!! We finish 4 with 39 runs and no loss. Ned also changes ends. He has bowled 2 foot fault no balls. The 50 partnership arrives off of 31 balls with another consecutive par of boundaries. 52 for 0 with Tom on 39 and Josh on 10. Unfortunately Tom B is caught by Hule off the next ball trying one too many and Hermann strides out for the first time in a Somerset Vitality game at number 3.
Josh takes two boundaries off Kellaway's spin in the 6th but he then skies one to McAndrew and departs for 18 at 60 for 2 which is the score at the end of the 'Powerplay'. The new man is Tom Abell
Mason Crane is on for the 7th and a diving stop in the field has Ned in some trouble as he smacks down on his shoulder. He seems OK but we'll have to see if he will bowl again. Meanwhile the dual spin option has slowed the rate down. After 8 overs we are on 69 for 2. Herman puts Crane on the roof of the Caddyshack with ball 1. Jordan then looks to add two runs but he may not have made it back for the double and he didn't. He's run out for 12 at 76 for 3 which brings in Thomas Rew.
Douthwaite keeps the Glamorgan momentum going as he comprehensively bowls Thomas for 2 from 4 with a beaut in the 10th at 83 for 4 and that is where the innings "turns around". Not as good but not bad either - though against the Welsh we really need to be nearer 200 than 150 at Taunton. It's not what we can score, it is what we can defend.
Jimmy Neesham is introduced for the 12th and the 100 arrives off a glanced edge to the Botham at the end of the 12th. 102 for 4.
In the 14th the skipper passes 2000 T20 runs with a boundary that splits the field in front of the Caddyshack to take him to 17 runs at 115 for 4. Leonard comes back to take us to the 15th and a wide ball is slapped through the covers by Tom to move us into the 120s. He then changes sides and send the next (a no ball) to the Somerset stand rope. The free hit is dropped on the boundary - and that is classified as a stop really. Hule dropped the ball which does not go well with a misfield in front of the Somerset crowd where he gave away a four earlier in the game. He's not having a good game. The last delivery was another no ball and the huge six from the skipper brings up the 50 partnership from 30 balls at 139 from 4. It's 141 with 5 to go as Ned clears 50 runs in his 3 - 22 off the last and 4 footfault no balls.
Tom is looking to push on from the bowling of Neesham as he straight fours him. Lewis brings up the 150 with a massive six into the Ondaatje car park. The ECB PA announcer is winding up the Welsh support with inappropriate comments which is also winding up the Somerset admin staff who will expect the complaints to come their way!!
Gregory goes to 50 from 24 balls with 2 fours and four sixes at 169 for 4. Tom has moved to 40 as well as we lokk to move towards 200. McAndrew is back at the River for his third and we move to 173. Douthwaite takes the 18th and his first ball is fired down Dickson's throat in front of the Caddyshack - 90 run partnership and 41 off 28 balls as Daniel Sams comes out to join his boss at 173 for 5. He is a bit of a swatter but as long as he connects things will be fine.
184 for 5 with 12 balls to go and Neesham will bowl his 3rd from the River. Sams misses and then runs, the keeper Smale picks up and breaks the stumps. The captain ihas not made his ground and he is run out for 54 at 184 for 6. Craig Overton is in so 200 is still in the realms of possibility though less likely now. We movbe into the 190s as Daniel goes to 14. 192 for 6 with 6 balls to go. McAndrew takes the last, and Overton is on strike after a Sams single. He misses the first one though as it keeps a little low and he take a single off the next. The next is a dot. Sams drives the 5th to move us to 198 and he flips the next to finish on 202. They need 203.
Craig finishes on 4 and Daniel reaches 24 from a limited number of deliveries. It's a total we can work with but it is not going to be easy unless we get early wickets and see the back of Carlson for sure.
The Reply
Is delayed as the lights seem to have failed and we will start losing overs at 9:08. It is not an issue as the lights return at 8:52.
Will Smale and Kiran Carlson open for the visitors. Firstly against Craig Overton from the MT. He thinks he has the Glamorgan skipper with his 5th ball. the umpire diosagrees and Carlson sends the next into the stands to move to 14 after the first. Shaw opens from the River and he goes for 15 and then the lights fail again. The umpires have no option but to take the players off.
At 9:10 the umpires return and the main objective is to try and get 5 overs of the Glamorgan game done. One floodlight is not on (the one behind the Caddyshack) and the umpires are discussing something but it looks like they are coming out.
Glmaorgan have 29 for 0 as Overton bowls the 3rd. The D/L is presently 23 and the Welsh are well ahead of it. He has gone for 22 off his 2 and this disruption is not helping at all. Daniel Sams is taking the 4th at 41. Thomas drops a sitter at 42 for 0 - too much pressureon the young man at the moment perhaps? But it is not desperate as Carlson takes over the strike and he skies the next to Hermann who holds on and it is 42 for1. The D/L moves to 38 as Kellaway is the next man in.
After 4 overs they have brought up the 50 at 51 for 1 with Kellaway on 2 and Smale on 19. Ball takes the next and after this we have a game whether the lights go again or not. He gets a wicket with his last in the 5th as Kellaway top edges to Tom Abell with 3 to his name and 55 on the board. Asa Tribe arrives and this is now a game. The D/L is at 60.
Overton changes ends for his third to end the 'Powerplay' and he sends Smale back LBW for 22 off 18 and it is 55 for 3 as the D/L moves to 69. Out comes Sean Dickson but he does not change the score and it is 55 for 3 at the end of 6. The D/L moves to 76.
Lewis Gregory takes the 7th and the other Lewis takes the next and by the end of the 8th we have held them to 68 for 3 with the D/L moving to 89. The 9th is not so successful as both Tribe and Dickson get a line on the captain and Jake Ball shells another catch at 79 for 3. He should have held that one I'm afraid.
Shaw returns for the 10th with the D/L at 96and at the halfway stage they have reached 89 for 3. they need 114 from 60 and the D/L has gone over 3 firgures to 104.
Sams starts the run to the end with the 11th and Dickson straight sixes his 3rd ball and a four at the end of the over m,oves the Welsh to 3 figures and Dickson to 31 at 101 for 3. D/L is 112 as Lewis G Jr takes the 12th. Then Jake takes the 13th. Presently it is Sean who is giving us quite a lot of pain. Glamorgan also go past the D/L by 1 run as well as Dickson moves towards a 50 and we need a wicket as Lewis G sr takes the 14th. He goes for 5 off his third - an over we needed butwe do need a wicket.
Sams takes us to 5 to go. Dickson moves to 50 from 33 balls 5 fours and 3 sixes with a straight six to the MT 134 for 3. A flukey four is followed by a huge six over the Trade Nation and they pass the D/L again. That's the last though as he doesn't see the slow ball and pops it back to Daniel to leave for 63 from 36 at 144 for 4.
Shaw now bowls the 16th to new boy Neesham and he goes for 4... a good over after his first two. They now need 55 for 24 as Ball bowls the next one and the 150 asrrives as the fielder set for the ramp slips as the bat ramps the ball. Tribe then hits another boundary followed by a six into the Ondaatje diagonal to move to the D/l score of 163. Another 4 takes us to 19 off the over as Tribe moves to 46 then Josh Thomas drops him on the boundary. so they move to 168.
Shaw takes the 18th needing a frugal one and her does better as Tribe looks to ramp it down the legside but he pops it straight to Ball. At 171 for 5 Douthwaite comes in with hopes that he may get his side over the line. Tribe went for 48. Neesham hasn't yet got moving with 4 off 6. But he hits a four to move Glamorgan to 177 for 5. The D/L has moved to 188 as Sams takes the 19th.
It's 26 off 12 and a dot to start. Douthwaite skies it. Gregory waved his hand and then did not move. Abell seems to think he was going for it and he starts late and stops it but does not get the catch. That was a mistake. Douthwaite survives and makes us pay with a boundary. Sams comes back with a dot on the line, followed by another but a Chinese cut gets them 4. Sams finishes with 2 for 49.
The last over is Jake Ball. Glamorgan need 16.
The first is a single and Neesham gets Douthwaite on strike. 15 off 5. The second goes into the flats. 9 off 4. And the lights die!!!
Then the lights come back on with 4 balls left. Douthwaite fires the ball straight to a fielder and Overton takes the catch 17 from 9 and 194 for 6. Out comes McAndrew with 9 off 3. Sams saved the boundary and they need 6 from 2. The ball goes straight up and they need 4 from the last one.
4 to win and 3 to tie with Neesham on strike and he splits the field and gets the four. Glamorgan win by 4 wickets. What a game but a disappointing result.
There is a question about what happens in a failure like this if it can't be fixed as no one at this game had any idea what the result would have been had it not been sorted.
To be honest, Glamorgan deserved that one.
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As usual we will close the thread until the end of the game and level the comment thread open.
Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 2026:06:05:22:46:23 by Grockle.
We face another ommission form our side as James Rew will remain with the England squad for the first test despite not being named in the 12.
We have had no cricket since the Friday defeat as we did not play on Sunday or earlier in the week.
The announced squad is;
Josh Thomas, Tom Banton, Archie Vaughan, Tom Abell, Jordan Hermann, Thomas Rew, Lewis Gregory, Daniel Sams, Craig Overton, Migael Pretorius, Lewis Goldsworthy, Alfie Ogborne, Josh Shaw, Jake Ball
The squad has 14 names with two that are surprising. It was thought that Jordan Hermann was signed as a red ball player only but it seems that is not the case seeing as Riley Meredith is not yet available. Also Miggy P is named, though he can't also play if Hermann and Sams are named in the side. He can only play if one of the others is not chosen. As Hermann is named one would only assume that Pretorius would play if Daniel was planned to be rested or has a niggle that may need a fitness test?
The rest is as expected and it will be interesting to see who makes up the front 6. We can only hope the batting fires better than it did last week as we are still missing Smeed, Lammonby and TKC This could be a vital game in our attempt to qualify for the quarter-final places.
Glamorgan Preview
LoL
Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
LoL
Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Wonder if the pitch people will be there tomorrow as they lost 16 wickets today? It should obviously be the same for internationals but I bet they see no-one.
LoL
Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
A lot of work to do to qualify now.
But our inability, (despite frequent and obvious prior warnings) to ensure an operative set of floodlights, really does us no credit whatsoever.
Our ticket prices are the highest in the country.
Unprofessional.
Grizzers
We did and so we didn't.
Forgetting the floodlights. THAT wss the bottom line
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2026:06:05:10:35:05 by Grockle.
In other sports/professions, the decision in letting someone go also involves asking what value is this person to our opposition. Recently I don't think this was considered too much when deciding which players to retain
It is hard to put a finger on any one particular item it is a combination of different things.
The support even for the CC match seems to be down from other years.
We all understand the need to maximise income, but, as the club are finding out, if you push ticket prices too far, people won't come. 100% of a ticket not sold is zero, as is the consequent zero income from food & drink etc..
And if you're going to charge top dollar, at least make sure the facilities are up to scratch.
Grizzers
It's going to get more precarious tonight as the Rew's both leave to join the Lions squad.
So Archie will get a go I assume in Bristol
Not sure who is available for Sunday v Warwickshire.
Presently, the arrival of Riley Meredith may be an anti-climax as the situation may already be decided by then unfortunately.
I'll be very surprised if we are in Birmingham on Finals day in 2026 . But it wouldn't be the first time I'm wrong (he says hopefully)
He was out for 6 playing on and was replaced by ASA TRIBE who must have travelled to Leicester from Taunton last night after 10:30pm to be there for the start.
Thomas must have also travelled though he is not in the first game side
Last night was going to be the trickiest to sell - a Thursday rather than a Friday, the middle match of three in six days, an iffy weather forecast in the days leading up to it (and it may have been dry last night but boy was it cold, and I came prepared with lots of layers!). And finally the match was on Sky (it was noticeable how few Glamorgan supporters seemed to be there, with the option of watching on Sky).
As for the lights - there's a statement from the club (some disparaging remarks on this thread, but it seemed obvious to me that they would have had them thoroughly checked after the Sussex cc game).
[somersetcountycc.co.uk]
Jordan Hermann is not playing for South Africa A, so also may be available.
He got stuck at Temple Meads on the way home on Tuesday and found himself on a bus to Bristol Parkway only to find that the train to Cardiff from there was going to be another bus but no one had sort of arranged it and when they got a driver there, they had to wait 90 minutes (it was well past midnight by then) because the driver had that amount of time left on his rest period before he could drive. They got into Cardiff just before 3am on Wednesday.
He was then back for last night and after all the palaver he was looking to stay in Taunton, arranging that at 10:30 in the evening.
I used to work with a lady called Eileen who taught near Swansea. She would come up for examiner meetings in London and I cannot recall a trouble free train journey she had anywhere from Cardiff into England. There was always some problem.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2026:06:05:12:53:18 by Grockle.
I agree about the choice of bowlers at the end, Lewis and Craig might have done better. I confess that I never understand the bowling tactics in T20. Very often, the most economical bowlers remain underused - generally, not just by Somerset. A lot of it seems too preplanned and might benefit from a bit more ad hockery (not hockey as my spell checker would prefer)!
As to the crowd, I must admit that I hesitated about going because of the iffy weather forecast, but went along in the end and wished I'd followed Bagpuss's lead and had rather more layers.
I can never understand sticking all your fielders on the boundary at the end of a game when you are working with nebw ats or guys who haven't been there long.
Make then play through the field and close the angles. It was very strange. The Glam guys in the press box did not expect to win at 9 from 3 when Douthwaite went.
Had they lost one might imagine the question being asked about how the loss of light in the last over affected the bats concentration. But it was moot in the end anyway.
Surprised Ball bowled the last one
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2026:06:05:21:47:04 by Grockle.
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