By John Virr – 2nd X1 Scorer
Torrential rain the evening and night before the games threatened, at least, a delayed start but on arrival it was difficult to tell that it had in fact rained.
Somerset beat Glamorgan in the first semi final and we played Surrey – Yorkshire won the toss and elected to bat first.
Fin Bean and Will Luxton added 34 from 22 balls before the former was LBW for 28 from 16 balls. Yash Vagadia joined Luxton and they advanced the total to 101 from a further 46 balls before Luxton was caught at deep square leg for 52 from 31 balls with 2 fours and 3 sixes.
James Wharton was caught at extra cover without scoring and George Hill caught at backward point for 16 from 14 balls. Dom Bess made a quickfire 19 from 9 before being bowled but it was Vagadia with 46 from 36 who enabled us to close on 176-6.
Ben Cliff showed his footballing skills to run out Ryan Patel in the first over – on his follow through directing the ball onto the strikers stumps. Surrey advanced to 55 before Laurie Evans was caught by Vagadia for 21 off 13 balls to give Bess his first wicket.
Geddes was very well caught, on the run, at deep mid wicket by Wharton off Leech 55-3. Rain delays initially reduced it to a 19 over per side game and a lengthier stoppage reduced Surreys innings to 11 overs.
George Hill took 2 wickets and Josh Hen-Boisen 3-11 as Yorkshire won by 27 runs under DLS method.
The weather delays resulted in a very quick turnaround – Somerset won the toss and elected to bat. Cliff struck early again having Thomas caught behind by Duke and George Hill bowled Umeed for 21 but at the end of the powerplay they had reached 57-2.
James Rew made 27 from 17 balls before he was caught at the wicket by Duke off Leech and shortly after Thomas was bowled by Leech having made 52 from only 27 balls (4×4;3×6).
Somerset had reached 170-5 with 3 overs remaining but were all out for 191 off the last ball – George Hill finished with 4-33 from his 4 overs and Ben Cliff 3-30 from his 4 including a caught and bowled where Leonard hit a delivery which on the full hit the non striker on his back and looped up for Cliff to hold.
Bean was bowled in the first over but Luxton and Vagadia took the total to 52 before the latter was caught at mid on for 27 from 15 and we had reached 78 – 2 before a cluster of wickets fell to leave us 98-6: Luxton was bowled for 34 from 25 and Wharton made 19 from 15 but only George Hill then reached double figures (22 from 19) and we were dismissed for 125 with 25 balls remaining.
A minor consolation is that Harry Duke had the most victims of any keeper in this years competition with 9 (5 catches and 4 stumpings).
