Somerset beat Essex to seal first Vitality Blast title for 18 years
Adam Rossington and Dan Lawrence flew out of the traps in pursuit of 146 within the closing, however Henry dismissed each openers and produced the ball of the day with a bail-trimmer to see off Michael Pepper.
Daniel Sams threatened to tug off a dramatic end with 45 off 26 balls however Henry, who was held again till the penultimate over, had the final giggle as Essex had been all out for 131 to lose by 14 runs.
Somerset gained their first crown in 2005 however they’ve been unrewarded on their earlier seven visits to Finals Day, ending runners-up in three successive years in 2009, 2010 and 2011 then once more in 2021.
They reached the ultimate by defending 142 towards Surrey and wanted one other glorious collective effort from their bowlers after being bowled out for 145, constructed on Sean Dickson’s understated 53 off 35 balls.
Essex – who earlier edged out defending champions Hampshire on a day the place each semi-finals had been affected by passing showers, with the showpiece going off with out a hitch – misplaced common wickets as leg-spinner Ish Sodhi claimed three for 22 and Somerset captain Lewis Gregory took two for 25.
Essex’s Shane Snater was unlucky to be on the dropping facet after exploiting the unpredictable bounce, maybe attributable to the moisture that constructed up by means of the day, to complete with 4-1-13-3.
Snater eliminated each openers earlier than he had conceded something off the bat, with Will Smeed inside-edging a leg-cutter on to his stumps for a run-a-ball 9 in a wicket maiden whereas Tom Banton, dropped on nought, injudiciously reverse lapped a shot which looped gently to backward level for 20 off 16 deliveries.
Tom Kohler-Cadmore’s late lower introduced the lone boundary Somerset took off Snater however he was out for a run-a-ball 19 after an tried dab caught the under-edge on to the stumps.
Paul Walter was within the wickets when Tom Abell spliced to mid-on on the cost, trying to up the ante after crawling to eight off 14 deliveries, whereas a flash level occurred when Gregory prodded his first ball again to Matt Critchley, who appeared to scoop up the catch diving ahead.
Gregory was unconvinced and tv replays solely muddied the waters, with differing views relying on the digicam angle, persuading third umpire Nigel Llong to spare the Somerset captain.
To compound issues, Gregory edged Critchley for Somerset’s first 4 in 32 balls on the finish of the twelfth over. While Gregory didn’t particularly excel after getting the good thing about the doubt, he proved a succesful foil in a 46-run stand in 28 balls with Dickson, who upped the tempo after a watchful begin.
Gregory was finally out for 11 after miscuing Snater’s slower ball again to the bowler, beginning a slide that noticed Somerset lose their final six wickets for simply 32 runs in 27 deliveries.
Dickson ploughed a lone furrow with an important 33-ball fifty – with most of his runs coming sq. of the wicket – however then gloved by means of to Rossington, who timed his leap to perfection, as Somerset solely simply batted out their allotment.
Rossington signalled his intent within the run chase by hammering the second ball again previous Craig Overton for 4 as Essex’s openers took 27 off the primary two overs. Rossington took three successive fours off Henry, who had his revenge because the opener departed for 19 off 9 deliveries after bludgeoning to cowl level.
Henry had two wickets in two deliveries after discovering a touch of lateral motion to clip the off-bail of a surprised Pepper whereas later within the over, Lawrence, who was additionally in a rush after slamming Overton over long-on, was overwhelmed for tempo and rapped on the entrance pad for 16 off eight balls.
Overton acquired in on the act as Robin Das acquired no elevation on a straight drive whereas Henry was unlucky to not make additional inroads in his third over after beating the surface fringe of Walter and Critchley.
Walter batted sensibly for 26 off 24 balls to maintain Essex up with the speed however was castled after lacking a heave off Sodhi.
While Essex continued to lose wickets, Sams made positive they didn’t collapse with out hint by clattering Kasey Aldridge and Sodhi over the boundary rope to depart 21 required off the ultimate 12 balls.
It was all on his shoulders as he greeted Henry again into the assault with a 3rd towering six however when the New Zealand seamer went wider, Sams acquired a thick edge and Kohler-Cadmore produced a terrific diving catch as Essex had been all out in 18.3 overs.