Gregory delighted with double over West rivals
RAPID half-centuries from Rilee Rossouw and Lewis Gregory paved the way for Somerset to clinch a Vitality Blast double over West Country rivals Gloucestershire with a seven-run win at Taunton on Friday, writes Richard Latham.
On a sweltering evening, the hosts recovered from a slow start to run up 184 for six, Rossouw striking 54 off 45 balls, with three sixes and five fours, while Gregory hammered 60 from 36 deliveries, clearing the ropes five times.
Mohammad Amir (two for 25) and Benny Howell (two for 31) were the pick of bowlers for Gloucestershire, who made a promising start in reply, but were restricted to 177 for eight in the end. Ryan Higgins hit 43 and Benny Howell 42, but the visitors lost their way mid-innings. Peter Siddle claimed three for 30 and Roelof van der Merwe one for 31.
Gregory said: “It’s always nice to win in front of a full house. The atmosphere was amazing and it’s why we play the game.
“It’s been a frustrating summer for me so far. I felt that I have been hitting well in the nets, but haven’t transferred that to the middle.
“So to have a good week with the red ball stuff and then put in a performance to get us up to a total that was good enough to get us over the line tonight was pretty special.
“They had a couple of partnerships, but to break them at the end like we did in Sid’s (Siddle’s) 19th over was fantastic. All the guys stuck at it. It was tremendous.”
That all came after Will Smeed’s early departure contributed to Somerset making just four for one from the first three overs.
Tom Banton and Rossouw began to rebuild the innings, but when the treble Toms – Banton, Abell and Lammonby – and Rossouw had all departed Somerset were 98 for five and in need of a hero.
They found one in Gregory, fresh from a confidence-boosting County Championship century against Surrey. The all-rounder cleared the ropes off Tom Smith, Zak Chappell, Howell and Matt Taylor, whose 19th over cost 23, to boost what was looking a below-par score.
The highlight of the Glo’sters fielding was a stunning onehanded boundary catch by Miles Hammond to dismiss Ben Green.
Hammond then hit the first ball of the reply, from Siddle, for six. Although he soon fell for 19, the visitors were 33 for one after 3.1 overs, and 51 for one after six.
However, Gloucestershire lost their way from there, and Siddle’s experience saw him effectively close out the match by taking three wickets in the 19th over.
Howell admitted: “I thought we should have been able to chase that target, but we let the game get away from us and left a little too much to do at the end.
“We went out there and showed it was a pretty good pitch, so we were disappointed not to get the win. I think our execution wasn’t quite right today.”
■ Rilee Rossouw surged to the top of the Vitality Blast run-scoring charts as Somerset stayed on course for a home knockout tie with an eight-wicket thrashing of Essex at Chelmsford yesterday.
Rossouw plundered 85 not out from just 36 balls to move ahead of Northamptonshire’s Chris Lynn in the standings as the visitors made light work of chasing down 189 to win, although the Eagles were left to rue giving the South African a life, spilling a regulation chance when he had made just four.
Somerset skipper Tom Abell provided great support with an unbeaten 62 as the visitors romped home with 15 balls to spare.
That came after Michael Pepper (86 not out) and Paul Walter (58) had helped Essex push on in their innings to record a final total 188 for five.
Gloucestershire’s home match with Glamorgan on Saturday, meanwhile, was rained off without a ball being bowled.