Kent vs Somerset Match Details
Match: Kent vs Somerset, South Group | Vitality T20I Blast 2022
Date: Wednesday, 25 May 2022 / Thursday, 26 May 2022
Time: 23:30 (GMT+5.5) / 00:00 (GMT+6)
Format: T20I
Venue: St Lawrence Ground, Canterbury
Kent vs Somerset Preview
- Last year’s tournament saw opener Daniel Bell-Drummond hit 58 boundaries, and we expect him to be Kent’s leading run scorer against Somerset. Matt Milnes was a consistent performer with the ball and is our pick for Kent’s top wicket taker in this match.
- Somerset has a number of explosive batters at the top of the order, and we expect Will Smeed to be their leading run scorer in this game. Marchant de Lange has performed admirably in T10 and other short format tournaments in recent years, and he is well worth backing as Somerset’s leading wicket taker against Kent.
- Any breaks in Somerset’s top three will be critical in this game. We expect Matt Milnes to do just that and win Player of the Match.
In the second game of this year’s tournament, Kent Spitfires face Somerset on Wednesday evening in Canterbury in a rematch of the 2021 Vitality Blast Final. Last year, Kent Spitfires won the tournament for their second Blast title. Somerset won the competition in 2005, but have since finished second four times. Continue reading for a preview of this game. The game begins at 19:00 local time at the St Lawrence Ground.
Last year’s tournament winner, Kent Spitfires, finished the season in fantastic form. We expect them to be upbeat ahead of the match because they have many of the same players to choose from.
Somerset struggled to get going in the 2021 Final, and they will use that as motivation to make amends in this match. Somerset should put on a typical performance, with players contributing with bat and ball and strong fielding.
Kent vs Somerset Weather Report
During the game, the temperature will fluctuate between 16 and 14 degrees, with cloud cover from start to finish.
Kent vs Somerset Match Toss Prediction
In the Final, Somerset won the toss and elected to bat first. With humidity levels expected to rise during the match, we anticipate that both captains will prefer to field first to avoid dealing with the damper outfield conditions.
Kent vs Somerset Pitch Report
The surface in Canterbury frequently provides some encouragement to pace and spin bowlers. In this game, a par score of more than 165 is expected.
Kent Team News & Probable Playing XIs
Sam Billings’ team will be fired up for this game, and we expect them to field a lineup very similar to the one that defeated Somerset in the final in mid-September last year. Ollie Robinson, the backup keeper, is unavailable after signing with Durham for the T20 Blast earlier this week.
Recent form – W W W L W
Kent Probable Playing XI
Sam Billings (c) (wk), Daniel Bell-Drummond, Jordan Cox, Zak Crawley, Joe Denly, George Linde, Jack Leaning, Darren Stevens, Qais Ahmad, and Fred Klaassen, Matt Milnes
Somerset Team News & Probable Playing XIs
The 2021 Runners-up will take the field with only minor changes from their defeat to the Kent Spitfires last year. We expect new signing Rilee Roussow, who has played for Hampshire in the past, to take their batting to the next level.
Recent form – L W W W W
Somerset Probable Playing XI
Tom Abell (c), Tom Banton (wk), Will Smeed, Lewis Goldsworthy, Rilee Roussow, Tom Lammonby, Jack Brooks, Lewis Gregory, Craig Overton, Marchant de Lange, and Josh Davey.
Kent vs Somerset Head to Head Stats (Last 5 matches)
| Team | Won | Lost |
| KET | 2 | 3 |
| SOM | 3 | 2 |
Kent vs Somerset – South Group, Dream 11
Wicket-keeper
- Sam Billings
- Tom Banton (c)
Batters
- Joe Denly
- Daniel Bell-Drummond (vc)
- Zak Crawley
- Will Smeed
All-Rounders
- Lewis Gregory
- Craig Overton
Bowlers
- Marchant de Lange
- Qais Ahmad
- Fred Klaassen
Kent vs Somerset Prediction
Winning the toss
- Kent
Top batsman
- Kent – Daniel Bell-Drummond
- Somerset – Tom Abell
Top bowler
- Kent – Fred Klaassen
- Somerset – Josh Davey
Most sixes
- Kent – Daniel Bell-Drummond
- Somerset – Tom Abell
Player of the Match
- Kent – Daniel Bell-Drummond
Team Scores Batting First
- Kent – 190+
- Somerset – 180+
Kent is the favourite to win this match.
Despite all of the pre-match talk of avenging last year’s final, we expect Somerset to approach this game with a level head and treat the Kent Spitfires like any other opponent. We anticipate a close game, with the Kent Spitfires doing just enough to cross the finish line.