Somerset 159 for 4 (Dickson 78, Rew 62*) beat Surrey 153 for 9 (Sibley 48, Gregory 3-15, Davey 3-34) by six wickets
But Dickson and 20-year-old Rew, playing his first game of the campaign – and second T20 of his professional career – turned the innings on its head with the highest-ever partnership on Finals Day. Between them, they allowed the Somerset supporters who had made the pilgrimage to Edgbaston to enjoy the closing stages in relative comfort.
Both Dickson and Rew, who was only called into the squad on Friday as a replacement for the injured Tom Banton, produced his career-best T20 innings to send the defending champions through. Dickson fell with three needed for 78 off 57, while Rew finished unbeaten on 62 off 44 to keep Somerset’s pursuit of an unprecedented domestic treble – having already reached the final of the One-Day Cup – on track.
Frankie panky tickles Surrey
It had been a stuttering batting effort from Surrey, but they had at least put a score on the board. Chasing 152 would not usually daunt a team with Somerset’s top-order prowess, though the absence of leading run-scorer Banton – injured during the Championship heist at Taunton – had reduced their firepower from the off. They were then hobbled by Worrall’s very first ball, which swung violently from a leg-stump line to trap Tom Kohler-Cadmore plumb in front (at least this time, it was a quick kill for Kohler-Cadmore, who was pinned down by Worrall for 10 consecutive dots in the Hundred last month).
At the other end, Tom Curran had to wait until his third delivery for success, straightening one off a length to take Tom Abell’s leading edge. Worrall then removed a footwork-less Will Smeed, wafting an edge to the keeper, to leave Somerset 7 for 3 in the third over and already facing a mountain to climb in defence of their title.
Dickson to the rescue (again)
Somerset won two low-scorers at 2023 Finals Day, defending 142 and 145 – with Dickson the top-scorer in both games. He rose to the occasion again, steering the partnership with Rew as it grew from minor impediment to Surrey’s chances of a first T20 title since the inaugural 2003 edition, into a major roadblock.
Dickson was the first to hit his stride, taking a brace of fours off Jordan Clark as Somerset reached 29 for 3 at the end of the powerplay. They were behind the rate but soon playing catch-up against Surrey’s spinners: Dickson slog-swept Cameron Steel into the Hollies for the first six of the innings, then Rew launched Dan Lawrence high to the same part of the ground, just clearing the man at deep midwicket. The follow-up was lashed past extra cover for four more, Chris Jordan left face down on the turf after diving for the catch in vain.
Dickson heaved Steel for six more, just beyond the reach of the diving Sibley at deep midwicket, then punched the next ball clean over long-off on the way to a 31-ball half-century. Rew added another six when swivel-pulling Clark over deep backward square leg and the required rate dropped below a run a ball in the following over, thanks to two more boundaries off Jordan.
Sibley throws some shapes
Asked to bat in potentially nibbly September conditions, Surrey’s initial impetus came from Dan Lawrence, one of three England Test players back in the side (counterbalanced by four members of the quarter-final XI being away on T20I duty). Lawrence merrily hacked and swiped – in much the manner of his final Test innings of the Sri Lanka series – to reach 19 off 11 inside the first two overs, before skying Josh Davey to cover.
Sibley had only faced one delivery at that point, and had prodded and poked to 4 off 6 before showcasing some of the improved T20 chops that have underpinned his most productive Blast season since 2017. Davey was walloped unceremoniously into the crowd over long-on, before Jake Ball’s arrival into the attack was greeted with an impudent ramp to fine leg. With Ollie Pope clipping, pulling and driving three of his first ten balls for four, Surrey were in good shape at the end of the powerplay on 62 for 1.
Gregory goes bang-bang
Gregory’s first noticeable contribution – aside from winning the toss – was to jog past one at mid-off, as Lawrence picked up his third boundary. At 32, with a long day in prospect, perhaps Gregory realised diving was not the best option; and he certainly proved he knew what he was doing when he came on to bowl the eighth over of the contest. Gregory’s canny mediums were perfectly suited to this late-season Edgbaston deck, though there was plenty of skill involved as Pope was done by a full legcutter that toppled off stump. Jamie Smith then played around a slightly fuller one to the same effect and Surrey’s solid start and been replaced by a scorecard reading 69 for 3.
Surrey scrap for a score
Surrey’s rebuild began with a partnership of Test match graft between the two former England opening partners, Sibley and Rory Burns. With Burns, the only left-hander in the line-up, pushed above Laurie Evans to bat at No. 5, a partnership of 36 off 28 steadied the ship for Surrey. Although they both departed in the space of eight balls, Sibley becoming a third wicket for Gregory as he picked out deep midwicket, Evans helped drag the innings up towards 150.
There were few cleanly struck attacking shots, with Surrey only managing six boundaries outside the powerplay – the pick of them seeing Evans wallop Ball flat into the Hollies Stand for the second and last six of the innings.
Alan Gardner is a deputy editor at ESPNcricinfo. @alanroderick
Source: ESPN Crickinfo