The final of the 2018 T20 Blast was a thrilling encounter between Somerset and Kent, with the latter emerging victorious by six wickets.
The T20 Blast final: Kent Spitfires beat Somerset to lift trophy for second time is a news article that discusses the T20 Blast final match between Kent Spitfires and Somerset.
| Edgbaston, Vitality Blast Final |
| Cox 58*, Crawley 41; Van der Merwe 3-19; Kent Spitfires 167-7 |
| Somerset 142-9 (Smeed 43, Denly 3-31, Qais 2-19); Somerset 142-9 (Smeed 43, Denly 3-31, Qais 2-19); Somerset 142-9 ( |
| Kent Spitfires won by a margin of 25 runs. |
| Scorecard |
Under the Edgbaston lights, Kent Spitfires were too strong for Somerset, winning the 2023 T20 Blast by 25 runs.
Kent put on an amazing fielding performance in the final, defeating 2005 champions and now four-time defeated finalists Somerset, after overcoming Sussex by 21 runs in the semi-final.
Kent’s 167-7 was highlighted by Jordan Cox’s 58 not out off 28 balls and England’s Zak Crawley (41).
Somerset, however, came up short with a score of 142-9, while Kent, the 2007 champions, won their second championship.
Kent’s only other T20 championship came 14 years ago, when they defeated Gloucestershire at Edgbaston. And two of their players that day, 45-year-old Darren Stevens in the semi-final and 35-year-old Joe Denly in the final, both played important roles.
Jordan Cox made his second half-century in T20 cricket with an undefeated 58.
Jordan Cox made his second half-century in T20 cricket with an undefeated 58.
Kent got off to a bad start as spinner Roelof van der Merwe went after their top order, much like he did to Lancashire in the quarter-final last month.
Before Cox took over, Crawley started the comeback, first pitching in a 36-run doubleheader with Jack Leaning, then marshalling the remainder of the hitters to a manageable total.
Somerset had come back from 79-6 in their two-wicket semi-final victory against Hampshire earlier in the day to win by two wickets.
Despite 43 from Will Smeed, who had shone for Birmingham Phoenix in the Hundred this summer, there was no second spectacular escape, despite two more amazing moments.
Somerset’s highest scorer was Will Smeed, who had 43 points.
Smeed came back from a 3-2 deficit with a risk-free 58-run outing with Tom Abell (26), who was caught at backward point.
The 19-year-old then managed to avoid getting caught on the line in a very contentious incident. Cox claimed the ball, but was slammed into by a sliding Daniel Bell-Drummond, who collided with his knees on the boundary cushion.
Neil Bainton, the third umpire, not only called it not out, but also a six. Smeed proved he still had a lot to learn when he holed out to Cox three balls later, this time without causing any fuss.
Cox then sprinted across the boundary, leaping at Lewis Gregory’s leg-side swat and palming it back to Matt Milnes with one hand, who made the grab in front of a stunned Eric Hollies Stand.
It was one of five wickets that fell in the middle overs for 34 runs. Kent’s merited victory was completed when Denly and Qais Ahmad combined to provide the highest return by any spinner in a T20 final, with a combined analysis of 5-50.
Darren Stevens, a Kent all-rounder, told Radio 5 Live Sports Extra:
“I’m not usually a guy of few words, but I’m dumbfounded right now.” It’s days like this that keep me coming back to the game.
“We’ve been very steady throughout, but Jordan Cox was fantastic in helping us reach that number, and I’ve never seen anything like his catch.”
“I haven’t played T20 for four years and told the coach I wanted to play all kinds of cricket, so I’ve altered my game a little.”
The vitality blast 2023 fixtures is the final of the T20 Blast. Kent Spitfires beat Somerset to lift the trophy for a second time.
