The county’s defence of the Vitality Blast title ended with a 17-run semi-final defeat to Northamptonshire Steelbacks

JASON Kerr admitted Somerset were “incredibly disappointed” after the county’s defence of the Vitality Blast title ended with a 17-run semi-final defeat to Northamptonshire Steelbacks at Edgbaston.

Put in, the Steelbacks were bowled out for 143 in 19.2 overs. Jake Ball bowled brilliantly for 4-17 in his four overs, including a maiden, while Riley Meredith took 3-21. Chris Lynn hit 39 from 26 balls but the innings never ignited against disciplined bowling supported by excellent catching.

Defending a moderate total, the Steelbacks had to bowl very well - and they did to restrict Somerset to 126-9. From 12-3, the holders rallied through Will Smeed (49, 35 balls), but David Willey (3-21), Ben Sanderson (3-28), James Sales (1-16) and Calvin Harrison (1-20) squeezed the life out the holders’ chase.

Kerr said: “We are incredibly disappointed. At the halfway stage we were in a great position but the batting performance was probably a reflection of our campaign.

“It was very much a tale of two halves, we were great in the first half and we didn’t really turn up for the second.

“It was a disappointing start to our innings but then we got some momentum back with that over from Will and we were in a great position but after that we really struggled to get momentum. We just kept losing wickets at the wrong time.

“You have to give a lot of credit to Northants. They had a great plan that their seamers were going to bowl a lot of yorkers and I thought Calvin Harrison bowled really well. It is frustrating because the aim coming in to today was to retain the trophy after the success of Wednesday night, but we needed to play much better than we did today.”

Somerset chose to bowl and struck two early blows as Ricardo Vasconcelos and Nathan McSweeney were both adjudged lbw after Craig Overton and Meredith reviewed the on-field umpire’s decision. Due partly to those reviews, Lynn was at the crease for 16 minutes before facing a ball and the Aussie had faced only two balls in 22 minutes when he watched Willey skew Overton to mid-on.

Lynn and Saif Zaib added 65 from 53 balls before both fell to Ball. Lynn departed furious with himself, bowled after trying to cut a half-volley. Zaib (26, 28 balls) sliced to short third man.

Louise Kimber was superbly caught by Daniel Sams at deep midwicket. Ball added his third and fourth wickets when Lewis McManus (21, 16 balls) lapped to short fine leg and Luke Procter chipped to mid-off. Meredith bagged his third when Sanderson lapped into the gloves of wicketkeeper Thomas Rew and the Steelbacks appeared maybe 25 short.

They had the perfect start with the ball, though, when Tom Banton, released from England duty for the day, edged Willey’s first ball to McManus. After Thomas Rew slashed Sanderson to deep point and James Rew was bowled by Willey, Somerset were 12-3 after 17 balls.

Somerset regained the initiative in spectacular fashion in the last over of the powerplay. The first five overs having yielded 24, the fifth went for 28 as Smeed smashed Procter for 4-4-4-6-6-4. Smeed and Tom Kohler-Cadmore rebuilt with 62 in 51 balls before Smeed nicked a drive at Sales.

With 48 needed from five overs, Willey struck again as Lewis Gregory lofted to long off. Kohler-Cadmore sliced Harrison to point, Overton was brilliantly caught at long on when Willey parried the ball for Zaib to complete the catch and it came down to 25 from the last 12 balls. Procter showed immense bottle to concede just two from the first six and 23 from the last over, from Sanderson, was way too many for Somerset to find.