Glamorgan made a winning start in this summer’s competition as figures of 4-28 by leg-spinner Mason Crane set up a five-wicket victory over Middlesex at Merchant Taylors’ School.
The home side went into decline following an opening stand of 45 between Stevie Eskinazi and Kane Williamson, the latter run out for 25 by Hayden Kerr’s direct hit at the bowler’s end.
That proved to be the best score in a disappointing Middlesex total of 124-9, but their bowlers made Glamorgan work for the win, reducing them to 64-5 before an unbroken stand of 64 between Asa Tribe (40 not out) and Daniel Douthwaite (31) saw them home on 128-5 after 15.3 overs.
“It is a bit of a mystery when you come to an outground in terms of knowing what you are going to get, but there was a little bit there so I was pretty happy with that,” Crane said.
Will Smeed played arguably the innings of the day for last year’s runners-up Somerset, hitting a six and 11 fours in his 81 not out off 54 balls as they cruised to an eight-wicket win over Essex at Chelmsford.
After coming together when a brilliant one-handed boundary catch by Thomas Rew removed Paul Walter, Dean Elgar (50) and Matt Critchley (54) shared a fourth-wicket stand of 83 for the home side, but from 119-3, they lost seven wickets for 29 runs to be all out for 148.
An opening partnership of 96 in nine overs between Smeed and Tom Lammonby (36) put Somerset on course for victory and they reached 149-2 from the penultimate ball of the 16th over.
Holders Gloucestershire suffered their second defeat as their batting let them down against Sussex Sharks at Hove.
David Payne, the top wicket-taker in the 2024 Blast, and Matt Taylor claimed three victims each as Sussex were bowled out for 173 despite Tom Alsop (58 off 35 balls) and James Coles (43 off 27) putting on 105 together.
But Ollie Robinson bowled Cameron Bancroft for seven with a beautiful leg-cutter early in Gloucestershire’s reply and the visitors lost their way as Tymal Mills took 3-13 and were dismissed in the 14th over.
