Match Preview: Somerset v Essex Eagles

 

Somerset v Essex Eagles

Vitality Blast
The Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton
Sunday 29 May, 4pm start

 

Essex Eagles will be looking to record back-to-back victories in the Vitality Blast when they make the trip to face Somerset at 4pm on Sunday.

Both sides recorded victories over Kent Spitfires in their opening fixture of the competition and this weekend’s match is a chance for the Eagles to move top of the South Group before a first home match on Tuesday.

Somerset will be looking to their overseas batter, Rilee Roussouw who dismantled the Spitfires attack on Wednesday evening. The South African struck 81 off 54 balls alongside skipper, Tom Abell (48 not out) to help record an 8-wicket win in Canterbury.

The Eagles have named an unchanged squad for the trip to the west country with Dan Lawrence (hamstring), Aaron Beard (foot), Feroze Khushi (concussion) and Eshun Kalley (back) still unavailable for selection due to injury.

Squad:

SOMERSETSQUAD

 

Inside the Dressing Room:

Paul Walter

Paul Walter’s match-winning innings helped to steer Essex to victory on Friday night and the all-rounder is looking forward to the next test against the 2021 T20 finalist.

 

Opposition:

Somerset recorded a victory on the opening night of the Vitality Blast and have named a 13-player squad for their first outing at home.

The team are captained by Tom Abell this year and he will be relying on his big hitters, Tom Banton, Will Smeed and Rilee Roussouw at the top of the order to propel them through the powerplay overs.

Jack Leach and Craig Overton are the only notable absentees who will miss the fixture due to being named in England’s Test squad to face New Zealand next week.

Somerset squad: Tom Abell (c), Tom Banton, George Bartlett, Jack Brooks, Josh Davey, Marchant de Lange, Lewis Goldsworthy, Ben Green, Lewis Gregory, Tom Lammonby, Rilee Rossouw, Will Smeed, Roelof van der Merwe.

 

Head to Head:

somerseth2h

How to Watch:

There will be a Live Stream of the match available, courtesy of our hosts, Somerset. You can watch this via the Essex Cricket Matchzone on essexcricket.org.uk, which also includes a live scorecard, statistics and key clips of the action.

Access via the Essex Cricket Matchzone is available here.