Smeed 94 powers Somerset to Blast glory in record 195-run chase
Toby Albert gives Hampshire the edge until formidable chase, with Dickson and Gregory key to finale
Toby Albert gives Hampshire the edge until formidable chase, with Dickson and Gregory key to finale
Scorer: K Vairavan | Commentator: Vithushan Ehantharajah
10:24pm Right, that's all from us here. Relive a thrilling final with Alan Gardner's report from Edgbaston. Once you've done that, go have a lie down. It has been a remarkable season of the Blast, despite the issues around a quite nonsensical schedule, typified by the huge gap between the group stages and the knockouts. And yet, it has somehow delivered. Thanks for your company, and to the players, as ever. And lastly, congratulations to Somerset. Let's do it all again next year x
10:19pm "Somerset are always here," says losing Hampshire skipper James Vince. "It's always a tough game in the group stages. They've been awesome throughout the competition and deserve to be winners today."
And here's Lewis Gregory, finisher extraordinaire with 18 not out off five at the end, ahead of the trophy lift: "We like doing it the hard way, don't we? To drag it back to only chasing 190-odd, the boys did an amazing job there.
"Big occasions like this, it's about guys stepping up at the right time. We saw it tonight (with Smeed), we saw it in the quarter-final with Dicko."
10:12pm Will Smeed, player of the final with his stunning 94 off 58 in the chase. " We set out at the start of the year to win the comp, and we're glad we've done that
"We've got match winners 1 to 11. There's a lot of role clarity. The only focus was on winning the game. I was pretty nervous watching at the end, but Lewy smashed it!"
9:54pm That's now three EnglishT20 titles for Somerset, joint with Leicestershire and Hampshire, who miss the chance of going out in front as the most successful county in the competition. Hard not to feel for the losing finalists given the quick turnaround between the semi-final and the final. Still, Somerset's pedigree - this was their fifth Finals Day appearance in a row - shone through against an equally vaunted outfit.
The ball bounce into the steps of the dressing rooms at that end, so there's a bit of a delay to check the ball. All fine, it seems
Still every chance Smeed's was a match-winning knock... but he can't control that now. Skipper Lewis Gregory, a handy finisher in these scenarios, joins Dickson in the middle
WCF Smeed c Vince b Currie 94 (79m 58b 14x4 1x6) SR: 162.06
18 needed from 12... Scott Currie to bowl the penultimate over
Toby Albert gives Hampshire the edge until formidable chase, with Dickson and Gregory key to finale