D’Arcy Short’s blistering 63 off 34 balls powered Gloucestershire to a comprehensive seven-wicket victory over Somerset at the Seat Unique Stadium in Bristol. With 3 sixes and 8 fours in his arsenal, Short’s aggressive innings ensured Gloucestershire comfortably chased down Somerset’s target of 138, finishing with 5.5 overs to spare and handing Somerset their third consecutive defeat in the Central and West Group.
Gloucestershire set the tone early by winning the toss and restricting their rivals to 137 for 8. Marchant de Lange, Duan Jansen, and Matt Taylor each took two wickets, contributing to a near-flawless bowling performance. Somerset’s Lewis Gregory top-scored with 33 runs from 28 balls but struggled to lift his side in a batting lineup weakened by injury.
Somerset’s innings faltered from the outset as Matt Taylor dismissed Tom Banton with the first ball. Early wickets kept the visitors under pressure; when Jordan Hermann was lbw to Jansen’s wicket maiden, Somerset was reeling at 14 for 2. Josh Thomas attempted a brief counter-attack with 21 off 12 balls before falling to de Lange. By the end of the powerplay, Somerset had slipped to 33 for 4.
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Lewis Goldsworthy and Thomas Rew tried to stabilize the innings, but Gloucestershire’s disciplined bowling limited boundary opportunities, holding Somerset to 55 for 4 at the halfway mark. Goldsworthy’s dismissal off de Lange further destabilized Somerset’s hopes, and despite Rew’s efforts, wickets fell regularly. By the 14th over, Somerset was struggling at 79 for 7.
A late 49-run partnership between Gregory and Craig Overton offered some resistance, with Overton unbeaten on 28 from 19 balls. Overton also made a crucial contribution with the ball, dismissing Miles Hammond. However, the momentum firmly swung in Gloucestershire’s favor with Short’s aggressive approach during the powerplay, scoring 50 from just 22 balls and launching the chase.
After Short’s departure in the 13th over, captain Jack Taylor ensured the innings progressed smoothly, scoring an unbeaten 34 from 21 balls, guiding Gloucestershire home without further setbacks.
Gloucestershire captain Jack Taylor praised his team’s performance, saying, “We set the tone from the first ball and kept the pressure on. Taking four wickets in the powerplay really put Somerset on the back foot. Our bowlers were outstanding, and when D’Arcy Short plays like that, it lifts the whole team. We aim to be bold with our batting this season, and nights like this are why we love playing the game.”
Somerset head coach Jason Kerr reflected on a tough evening: “Losing four wickets in the powerplay put us under immense pressure. Our score didn’t reflect the pitch quality, and at times, our cricket intelligence wasn’t up to the mark. With injuries forcing young players into key roles, it’s been a challenging period. They are learning on the job, but T20 demands experience, and the intense schedule limits practice time.”