Holders Somerset beat Hampshire – T20 Blast round-upImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Only Hampshire’s Toby Albert (633) scored more runs than Will Smeed (620) in last year’s T20 BlastByPhil Cartwright, BBC Sport journalist and Matthew Cresswell, BBC Sport journalistPublished35 minutes agoSomerset picked up where they left off last September as the reigning T20 Blast champions ruthlessly repeated their 2025 final victory over Hampshire Hawks on the opening night of this summer’s competition.Will Smeed produced a match-winning knock of 94 in last year’s decider at Edgbaston and, eight months on at Taunton, he smashed 59 off 29 balls in a seven-wicket win to help the holders get off to a fast start in this year’s tournament.
The 24-year-old, who was the second-highest run-scorer in last year’s Blast, reached his half-century off 22 balls as part of a first-wicket stand of 90 with Tom Banton (30).
James Rew – who has been named in the England squad for the first Test against New Zealand next month – ended on 47 not out as he and his younger brother, Thomas Rew, guided Somerset to a comfortable victory.
Earlier, Hampshire captain James Vince top-scored with 58 but Somerset’s bowlers, led by Craig Overton (3-27) and Jake Ball (3-28), limited the visitors to 158 all out.
Elsewhere, Warwickshire Bears were skittled for 74 by Gloucestershire, while Jonny Bairstow and Sam Billings made match-winning contributions for Yorkshire and Kent Spitfires respectively, as all 18 counties got their Blast campaigns under way.
