Head coach Jason Kerr marvelled at Somerset’s resilience as they ended a string of near misses in the Vitality Blast to claim the title for a second time.
Since their maiden triumph 18 years ago, Somerset had endured seven fruitless trips to Finals Day – including 2021 and 2022 – but at the eighth attempt on Saturday night, they finally landed silverware.
Kerr, who has been at Somerset since 2005 and took up his current post nearly six years ago, insisted he was always convinced they would end the drought if they kept giving themselves an opportunity.
They have been the best side in the competition this year, losing just twice in 17 matches and successfully defending sub-150 scores at Edgbaston to defeat Surrey then Essex to get over the line.
“We’ve been building as a side,” Kerr said. “We’ve been to Finals Day for the last three years, and last year we didn’t turn up at all.
“We didn’t do ourselves justice, so I was adamant that we were going to do that this year.
“After last year’s final, (opening batter) Tom Banton spoke brilliantly in the dressing room and said that if we keep putting ourselves in this position, then we’ll get over the line.
“We pride ourselves on keeping putting ourselves in this position, so eventually you have to get over the line. When you win 15 out of 17 games, you deserve to lift the trophy at the end of the campaign.”
Somerset have now landed both domestic limited-overs competitions under Kerr – having won the One-Day Cup in 2019 – but their ‘nearly men’ tag is still there in the LV= Insurance County Championship.
They have been runners-up on six occasions this century – and were second in the Bob Willis Trophy in 2020 – while they are now fifth in Division One, 41 points behind leaders Surrey with six games left.
But Kerr will keep pushing to deliver for their fanbase and is confident they can continue on an upward trajectory with the players they have.
“To get over the line is just reward for a lot of people,” Kerr added. “We are incredibly passionate as a club – we’re followed immensely.
“They’re incredibly passionate and want us to win every single game that we play, which isn’t realistic, but they’re the expectations that we’ve set ourselves.
“We’ve ticked off two of the three now, so just one to go. If we can keep this team together, we’ll only get better.”
IPL: Gaikwad inspires CSK to emphatic victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad
Ruturaj Gaikwad inspired Chennai Super Kings to a 78-run victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League.
CSK lost by six wickets to Lucknow Super Giants in their last outing, but they bounced back in emphatic fashion on Sunday.
Captain Gaikwad was in rampant form, plundering 98 runs from 54 balls, a knock that included 10 fours and three sixes, while Daryl Mitchell added a useful 52.
Tushar Deshpande subsequently picked up the mantle with the ball, taking 4-27, including dismissing Hyderabad's top three - Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma and Anmolpreet Singh.
Aiden Markram offered some resistance with a 26-ball 32, but once skipper Pat Cummins also fell to Deshpande, the game was all but up.
Jaydev Unadkat was the final one to tumble, as Hyderabad were bowled out for 134 and saw CSK move above them into third in the standings.
Data Debrief: Gaikwad on Kohli's heels
With 447 runs across nine innings, Gaikwad is now second on the list of leading run scorers in the IPL this season, behind only the great Virat Kohli (500).
Gaikward, though, has the better strike-rate at 149.49, while he is averaging 63.86.
Hayley Matthews leads from the front as West Indies Women take 2-0 lead over Pakistan Women with seven-wicket victory at Karachi
In yet another stunning performance, West Indies Women’s captain Hayley Matthews led her team to a commanding seven-wicket victory over Pakistan Women, securing a 2-0 lead in their five-match T20 series in Karachi on Sunday.
Matthews showcased her all-round prowess by first starring with the ball, taking an impressive 3 wickets for just 25 runs to restrict Pakistan Women to 121-7 in their allotted 20 overs. Despite a resilient 55 from Muneeba Ali, the hosts struggled against the visitors’ bowling attack, with Matthews leading the charge. She received support from Chinelle Henry, Karishma Ramharack, and Afy Fletcher, each claiming a wicket to stifle Pakistan’s batting efforts. Matthews also contributed to a crucial run-out that ended Pakistan’s innings.
With a manageable target of 122 for victory, Matthews continued her dominance, opening the batting for West Indies Women. She began her innings aggressively, smashing 10 boundaries on her way to a match-high 58 runs off just 43 balls. Her attacking display laid a solid foundation for the run chase.
Supported by contributions from Shemaine Campbelle (21) and Chedean Nation (unbeaten 17), Matthews guided her team to victory in emphatic fashion, sealing the win with 10 balls to spare.
Matthews’ outstanding performance with both bat and ball underscores her invaluable role as a leader and key player for the West Indies Women’s team. Her contributions have been instrumental in securing consecutive victories against Pakistan Women, setting a strong foundation for the remainder of the series.
The West Indies Women will look to build on this momentum as they aim to maintain their winning streak and clinch the series against Pakistan Women in the upcoming matches.
Motie's heroics lead West Indies A to victory over Nepal in T20 thriller: Series level at 1-1
In a thrilling encounter at Kirtipur, Gudakesh Motie emerged as the standout performer for West Indies A, propelling his team to a crucial victory over Nepal in the second T20 International to level the five-match series at 1-1. Motie's exceptional all-round display, featuring an unbeaten 33 off just eight balls and impactful bowling, played a pivotal role in securing the win.
Batting first, West Indies A faced early setbacks but rallied behind Andre Fletcher's resilient 43 and Captain Roston Chase's 23. However, wickets fell at regular intervals, leaving the team in a precarious position at 115 for 7. When Fletcher departed, the onus fell on Motie to provide a late surge. With only 13 balls remaining, Motie unleashed a blitz, smashing two fours and four sixes to power his team to a competitive total of 160 for 7. Matthew Forde contributed with an unbeaten 11 as Sagar Dhakal and Kushal Bhurtel each picked up crucial wickets for Nepal.
In response, Nepal's captain Rohit Paudel led the charge with a magnificent 71 off 48 balls, keeping his team in contention. However, Nepal's batting struggled against the West Indies A bowling attack, with only Gulsan Jha offering notable support with 26 runs. Motie continued to make an impact with the ball, claiming 2 crucial wickets for 244 runs alongside Obed McCoy, who showed signs of returning to form with his 2 for 24.
Despite Paudel's heroics, Nepal fell short in their chase, ultimately conceding victory to West Indies A by 10 runs. Motie's exceptional performance earned him the Player of the Match award.
The third match in the series is set for Wednesday, May 1, 2024.
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