Somerset came down to earth with a jolt on Sunday evening when they were beaten by Surrey at the Oval by 57 runs in a rematch of last season’s Vitality Blast semi-final, writes Richard Walsh.

On Friday night against Essex, they gave an impressive performance with both bat and ball to get their campaign off to a winning start. Sadly at the Oval, whilst their bowlers were on even better form, they were let down by their batting, which, with the exception of Tom Kohler-Cadmore, never quite fired.

After being put into bat, Craig Overton, who was captain for the night in the absence of the not quite fit Lewis Gregory, gave his side a dream start when he accounted for Laurie Evans, caught by Tom Lammonby in the deep off the last ball of the opening over. First ball of the next over, Riley Meredith made it seven for two when he had Dan Lawrence also caught by Lammonby.

The Aussie paceman struck again to remove Jason Roy, again caught by Lammonby in the fourth over, which brought Jamie Smith in to join Ollie Pope, who together over the course of the next 9.2 overs added 111 runs, before Roleof van Der Merwe bowled the latter for 40.

The ‘Man with the Golden Arm’- Ben Green then struck three times in the 16th over, claiming the wicket of Jordan Clark with the second ball, Smith with the fourth and Tom Curran with the last delivery.

Meredith came back into the frame and bowled Sean Abbot with the last ball of the 17th over, before Green struck again with the third ball of the 18th over to remove Gus Atkinson for one.

Jake Ball bowled Spencer Johnson with the final ball of the 19th over and Surrey were all out for 163, losing their last six wickets for 11 runs. Green ended with four wickets for 32 from his four overs, while Meredith claimed three for 34 from his allocation.

The Somerset openers Will Smeed and Tom Banton added 16 before the latter was caught by ‘keeper Smith for 11 off the last ball of the third over. Smeed took his total on to 20 before he too was dismissed by Johnson.

Tom Abell and Tom Kohler -Cadmore threatened but after adding 23 together, Abell was caught off the bowling of Abbot. Kohler -Cadmore looked to be getting into his stride, hitting a four and three sixes off just 10 balls, but on 25 he was run out, which made the visitors 62 for four. Sean Dickson and Lammonby added 18 but after taking his total on to 12, Dickson was bowled by Tom Curran.

With the score on 80 for five at the halfway stage, Somerset were well up with the asking rate, which enabled Green and Lammonby to steady things down but when Green went bowled by Curran followed by Lammonby for 19, the game was over. The last three wickets fell without any addition to the score, as Somerset were all out for 106 in 15.4 overs.

Somerset are next in Vitality Blast action when they are away to Kent at Canterbury on Friday evening before they return to host Hampshire on Sunday afternoon.