SOMERSET got their 2026 Vitality Blast campaign off to a winning start when they resoundingly beat Hampshire at the Cooper Associates County Ground by seven wickets with 22 balls to spare in front of a packed house on Friday evening.

In a re-run of last yea’rs final it was the Cidermen who once again came out on top thanks to an impressive bowling performance that included three wickets apiece for Craig Overton and Jake Ball and a display big hitting particularly by Will Smeed.

When the hosts responded their opening pair of Smeed and Tom Banton were in devastating form as they scored 74 off the first power play.

Seventeen year old debutant Manny Lumsden had a tough introduction to the Vitality Blast when his first over went for 21 runs which included two gigantic 6s over the main scoreboard and a 4 - all scored by Smeed.

The opener kept up his display of hitting and went to his 50 off 22 balls with five 4s and four 6s in the 7th over.

Liam Dawson entered the attack for the 8th over in an attempt to stem the run rate and met with immediate success when he bowled Banton for 30 with his third delivery.

Smeed took his total onto 59 when he hit a delivery from Tom Currie high into the air to Delano Potgeiter at deep mid wicket.

Tom Abell came into join James Rew in the 9th over with the score on 96 for 2. Somerset required 54 runs from 60 balls and with the total on 108. However Abell was out bowled by Currie for 2, which brought Thomas Rew in to join his older brother.

From this point on it was the Rew brothers who steered Somerset home, Thomas playing a well hit 6 into Gimblett Hill to give a flavour of what he is capable of.

In the end it fell to 22 year old James to finish the job with a boundary off the second ball off the 17th over to see Somerset to 160 and victory by 7 wickets.

The Rew brothers shared an unbroken fourth wicket partnership of 52, James ending unbeaten on 47 off 29 balls while Thomas ended 14 not out.

Earlier in the evening Craig Overton was at his competitive best when making the vital breakthrough in the Hampshire innings, removing Toby Albert. Joe Weatherley was dismissed by Lewis Gregory and the visitors were 58 for 2 in the eighth over.

Seasoned campaigner James Vince then came to the fore with 58 until Overton had him caught at extra cover and Hampshire were 113 form 5.

From here on it was one way traffic as Hampshire lost their last five wickets for 25 runs as they were all out for 158 in 19.4 overs.

Overton ended with 3 for 27 while Jake Ball claimed 3 for 28, and new boy Daniel Sams 2 for 28.

After the resounding win, Smeed said: “I don’t think we could have hoped for a better start. The bowlers were incredible, especially when you consider we have just come through three busy red ball blocks.”

He added: “As well as we batted, it was the bowlers who set up this win and we’ll go to Edgbaston with a lot of confidence.”