County News/The Hundred
Craig Overton determined to add more T20 success for Somerset
Craig Overton is determined to help Somerset add another trophy during an era of remarkable white-ball consistency ahead of a fifth consecutive appearance in the Vitality Blast Finals Day.
Craig Overton is determined to help Somerset add another trophy during an era of remarkable white-ball consistency ahead of a fifth consecutive appearance in the Vitality Blast Finals Day.
Somerset ended a long list of near-misses with T20 success in 2023 and followed it up with a runner-up showing to Gloucestershire last year.
Overton is well aware of the club’s past reputation as bridesmaids, but after Royal London One-Day Cup glory in 2019 was backed up with a Finals Day triumph at Edgbaston two years ago, the 31-year-old is buoyant about their chances.
“We know it’s a great period for us, but we’ve obviously got that reputation from previous years of becoming bridesmaids,” Overton told the PA news agency.
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“We wanted to put that right and we feel like we’ve done that sort of winning two trophies, but getting to more and more finals and Finals days, you want to win those more and more.
“We’re obviously in a very lucky position that we’re getting to these finals and to have a chance to win them is pretty special.
“There’s a great feeling amongst the boys. We’ve been there for the last couple of years, did well in 2023 and not quite so well last year, but that’s sort of T20 cricket.
“We know we’re going to have to turn up and put in a performance to hopefully get two wins and lift the trophy at the end of the day.”
(Mike Egerton/PA)
Missing
A frustration for Somerset, in addition to the other three finalists, is the unavailability of England players and other international stars.
Somerset will be without Tom Banton for their semi-final with Lancashire, who are missing Jos Buttler against his former club due to England’s T20 series with South Africa.
Lancashire are boosted by James Anderson’s presence and he will feature in a fifth Finals Day after he was able to overcome a recent fitness issue.
“Yeah, it’s been a while, but I’m just really excited,” Anderson told in-house media.
“It’s always a great day. The reason I carried on playing this year for Lancashire is to try and win something, to try and do something special with the group.”
(Adam Davy/PA)
Hero
Somerset will aim to lean on quarter-final hero Sean Dickson, who will leave at the end of this season but hit 71 not out to defeat Birmingham Bears last week and won man of the match in the 2023 victory over Essex.
Lancashire’s England outcast Liam Livingstone blitzed an unbeaten 85 to down Kent last Saturday and another former international helped Northamptonshire qualify for Finals Day.
Ravi Bopara, who played 171 times for England, struck a sensational century off 46 balls to stun Surrey at the Kia Oval and earn Northamptonshire a seven-run success.
Darren Lehmann’s Northamptonshire will play in the second semi-final against Hampshire, who will aim for a record-breaking fourth Vitality Blast title.
Hampshire will have Australian duo Hilton Cartwright and Chris Lynn available after both hit half-centuries in a 26-run victory over Durham last Friday, but Liam Dawson is away on England duty.