Will Smeed the hero as Somerset win English T20 Blast final with record

LONDON: Will Smeed was the star as Somerset chased down a record-breaking 195 to beat Hampshire in English cricket’s T20 Blast final at Edgbaston on Saturday.

Smeed struck a superb 94 off 58 balls while Sean Dickson, dropped on eight, made a crucial 33 not out.

Smeed fell at the start of the 19th over with 18 still needed, but Somerset captain Lewis Gregory came in and struck two sixes to take Somerset to 195-4 — the highest score in a T20 Blast final.He added: “The ball seems to fly here especially under the lights and the dew comes in so we always knew we had a chance. It was some proper hitting from Lewis (Gregory) at the end there as well.”

Somerset, beaten in last season’s final by Gloucestershire, joined Hampshire and Leicestershire with three titles, following their wins in 2005 and 2023.

Hampshire captain James Vince, out for 52 in the final, told Sky Sports: “Somerset have been quality throughout and were too good for us tonight.

“We played some really good cricket but unfortunately we 

After Australia’s Chris Lynn’s blistering century in a semi-final win over Northamptonshire earlier in the day, Hampshire made 194-6 in the final as Toby Albert became the competition’s leading run-scorer this season with 85 off 48 balls