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Somerset Defeat Hampshire in T20 Blast Opener
Somerset opened the 2026 T20 Blast with a seven-wicket win over Hampshire at Taunton. The defending champions restricted Hampshire to 158 before reaching the target with overs to spare.
May 22, 5:24 PM·1m read1 source
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Somerset repeated their 2025 final victory by beating Hampshire by seven wickets on the opening night of the 2026 T20 Blast at Taunton. Will Smeed scored 59 off 29 balls after reaching fifty in 22 deliveries. He shared an opening stand of 90 with Tom Banton, who made 30.
James Rew finished unbeaten on 47. Hampshire posted 158 after James Vince made 58. Craig Overton took 3 for 27 and Jake Ball claimed 3 for 28.
Yorkshire chased 168 to beat Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.
Jonny Bairstow scored an unbeaten 83 and James Wharton made 55 in a third-wicket stand of 144. Surrey posted 213 for 6 against Lancashire, with Tom Curran unbeaten on 49. Reece Topley took two wickets in the opening over of Lancashire's reply as the visitors were dismissed for 154.
Worcestershire Rapids defeated Leicestershire by 18 runs after Nick Kelly and Ben Cox scored unbeaten half-centuries for the Foxes.
Gloucestershire bowled Warwickshire out for 74 at Bristol.
Duan Jansen took 4 for 25 and Beau Webster, Sam Hain and Ed Barnard fell early in the chase. Northamptonshire reached 165 for 8 against Glamorgan. George Scrimshaw took 3 for 33 as the Steelbacks won by three runs.
Sam Billings made an unbeaten 84 containing nine fours and five sixes as Middlesex finished 27 runs short. Sussex Sharks chased 192 to beat Essex by six wickets. John Simpson hit eight sixes in an unbeaten 63 off 23 balls.
