Somerset’s Rossouw: It was a dream start for me

RILEE Rossouw smashed 81 runs from just 54 balls as Somerset began their 2022 Vitality Blast campaign by turning the tables on Kent, who had beaten them in the final of the T20 competition last summer, writes Fred Atkins.

The West county ran out winners by eight wickets in Canterbury on Wednesday night, with Tom Abell making 48 from 29 deliveries in support of Rossouw.

The pair shared an unbeaten stand of 121 to take their side to their target with five balls to spare.

Earlier, Jack Leaning had scored 72 from 43 balls as the defending champions recovered from 52 for four at halfway to post 162 for six, Lewis Gregory taking three for 25.

Overseas signing Rossouw, right, said: “It was a dream start, I guess. I did not expect it at all, I just came here thinking ‘Settle in, take it one ball at a time’ and I remember what the coach said to us at the pre-match briefing. He said the batters should take that extra ball as it’s the first game of the season and just play it as you see it.

“But we one hundred percent fancied chasing it down. You’ve got to fancy chasing 200. Whatever it is, you’ve got to fancy chasing it down, especially with the youth and the flair that we’ve got in our line-up.

“I don’t think there’s any target that we can’t chase down, it’s just on the day who executes better.”

After losing the toss and being asked to field, the visitors removed England opener Zak Crawley for four in the second over when he hit Josh Davey to Roelof Van Der Merwe at cover, while Daniel Bell-Drummond (12) swished Gregory to Lewis Goldsworthy.

Kent then lost captain Sam Billings for just five when he edged Gregory behind, and Ben Green bowled Joe Denly, also for five, in the next over.

However, Leaning led the Kent recovery from there, with Somerset’s chase far from straightforward.

They lost Tom Banton for nine when he swiped Matt Milnes to Leaning at deep square leg and Will Smeed for 21 when he pulled Fred Klaassen to Jordan Cox on the square-leg boundary, but Rossouw and Abell ultimately guided the visitors home. Somerset host a Sri Lanka Development XI tonight.

Vitality Blast – South Group – Canterbury: Kent 162-6 (J A Leaning 72 no), Somerset 166-2 (R R Rossouw 81no). Somerset beat Kent by eight wickets.