Somerset 187 for 3 (Banton 42, Abell 40*) beat Essex 186 (Das 72, Walter 51, Henry 3-24) by seven wickets

Somerset's batting masterclass strengthened their place on the high of the Vitality Blast South Group with a seven-wicket crushing of Essex.

Smeed and Banton took on the 187 goal with the intent of ending the match in a rush, the pair smashing 64 in 5.2 overs.

Somerset had been solely on 11 after two overs earlier than Smeed took Shane Snater for 3 successive legside sixes in a 23-run over, after which Walter was taken for 15 with each batters serving to themselves to maximums.

Smeed's 16-ball 36 salvo ended when he toed to mid-on, however that breakthrough did not pause the onslaught as Kohler-Cadmore peppered Hayes Close with three sixes and 21 off Matt Critchley.

Kohler-Cadmore cleared the press field however Simon Harmer had him caught subsequent ball and Banton - who had reversed an outrageous six - was leg-before to Sam Cook for 42.

Snater was introduced again for a second over, Dickson plonked him over the sq. leg boundary two extra instances - the Dutch worldwide going for 42 in his two overs.

Daniel Sams returned 2 for 22 in a uncommon break from cannon fodder, and will have had three had Das held onto Dickson, however Abell and Dickson eased over the road quickly after.

Essex had been caught in and had been three down inside three overs.

Jack Brooks returned from his mortgage at Nottinghamshire for his first Somerset Blast look of the season and had Feroze Khushi caught at deep level and Dan Lawrence skying - boasting 2 for 8 after his first two overs.

But Das and Walter bought the hosts out of their gap with two differing methods to bat aggressively. Walter took the aerial route with 5 sixes - beginning with a pair of pulls earlier than towering over cowl, slog sweeping Roelof van der Merwe after which reaching his 26-ball fifty by clubbing a full toss over cow nook. He chased to level subsequent ball to fall for 51.

Das confirmed off his contact play with some lovely timing in his 11 fours, though he displayed some muscle too with two sixes over lengthy on. His second T20 fifty got here in got here in 31 balls earlier than unleashing to finish up 72 off 39.

He pinged Henry to lengthy on which started Essex's second collapse, dropping their final 5 wickets for 43 runs in 31 balls.

Van der Merwe bowled Sams - earlier than very publicly dislocating and trying to relocate his finger - Will Buttleman gave Henry 3 for twenty-four, Simon Harmer was run out backing up, Shane Snater run out chasing a second and Matt Critchley caught at quick third after an enterprising 30.