Cricket Kerr full of praise for his Somerset side after T20 win

WILL Smeed made light work of Essex’s meagre total as 2024 runners-up Somerset made it two wins from two to begin their Vitality Blast campaign.

- By ALEX SMITH

T20 powerhouse Smeed whacked 81 in 54 balls to canter to an eight-wicket victory at Chelmsford, as Somerset chased down 148 with 25 balls to spare.

Tom Lammonby also chipped in with 36, in a 96-run opening stand, as Somerset's men avenged the defeat their club-mates suffered in the Women’s Vitality Blast earlier in the day.

Matt Critchley and Dean Elgar's half-centuries merely sugarcoated a second successive heavy defeat for Essex - having lost their opener at Hampshire by 106 runs.

Somerset head coach Jason Kerr said: "It was a thoroughly professional performance. In the first half with the ball we were outstanding. The formidable partnership of Overton and Henry got early inroads and we stuck to the task really well when they had that partnership in the middle.

"We kept punching and then Ben Green took three wickets in an over which turned the game and then the chase was comprehensive.