Ben Green stars as Somerset claim west country bragging rights

Ben Green conjured up an incisive performance with bat and ball as Somerset beat arch rivals Gloucestershire by 16 runs in a hard-fought Vitality Blast encounter beneath the Cooper Associates Ground floodlights.

So often an unsung hero in the short format, Green top-scored with 36 not out from 22 balls with three sixes and dominated a crucial unbeaten stand of 42 for the eighth wicket with Craig Overton as Somerset posted 164 for 7 on a turning pitch after winning the toss.

He then returned figures of 1 for 27 from four overs as Gloucestershire, buoyed by another half-century from overseas star D'Arcy Short, were restricted to 148 for 8, much to the delight of a sellout Taunton crowd.

Gloucestershire skipper Jack Taylor claimed 3 for 19 with his offbreaks and his brother, Matt, 2 for 11 as the visitors made Somerset graft on a used surface. In the final analysis, Green's heroics at the death made the difference in an uncharacteristically low-scoring contest.

Short finished unbeaten on 71 from 52 balls with five fours and three sixes for Gloucestershire, while Jake Ball took 2 for 20 in four overs as Somerset, who had already secured a home quarter-final, finished their qualification campaign with 11 wins in 14 outings.

Accustomed to scoring freely in powerplays at Taunton, Somerset did not have things entirely their own way against the nagging accuracy of Gloucestershire's seamers. Tom Lammonby and Will Smeed came out breathing fire, only to fall to left-armer Matt Taylor as the home side were reduced to 46 for 2 in the sixth. Lammonby mustered a six and a four in raising 15, only to drill a length ball straight to midwicket, while Smeed plundered 20 off a Josh Shaw over before losing off stump to a Taylor inswinger and departing for 29.

Making his final appearance for Gloucestershire before retirement, spinner Tom Smith lured James Rew into a trap, having the young left-hander held on the long-on boundary for 19 with the score 79 for 3 in the ninth. Trusting in pace off on a used pitch, the visitors introduced Ollie Price's offbreaks at the River End in a bid to stifle Somerset's renowned firepower. He struck in his first over, Tom Kohler-Cadmore feathering a catch behind and falling for 21 as the cider county reached halfway on 91 for 4.

Bowling legspin, Jack Taylor then got in on the act, taking a looping return catch to remove Somerset skipper Lewis Gregory for 6 as the home side lurched to 105 for 5 in the 13th. Having scratched 14 runs, Sean Dickson then succumbed to Gloucestershire's captain in his next over from the Marcus Trescothick Pavilion end, playing across the line and missing a straight one with the score 114 for 6. On a roll by now, Taylor struck again in the 17th, persuading Lewis Goldsworthy to hit high to long-on as Somerset were further reduced to 122 for 7.

When Green hoisted Jack Taylor over midwicket for six in the penultimate over, it was Somerset's first boundary for nine overs. He twice repeated the feat against David Payne at the death, 22 runs coming from the final over as Green and Craig Overton raised a valuable unbeaten eighth wicket alliance of 42 in 21 balls.

Overton opened up with a maiden over, but Short and Miles Hammond both helped themselves to sixes in the second, bowled by Gregory, as Gloucestershire's reply received a welcome shot in the arm. Hammond then put Overton over the rope at deep midwicket, only to perish in the fourth over, bowled for 16 by a slower delivery from Ball. Debutant Tommy Boorman got off the mark with a pulled six at the expense of Overton, who immediately avenged himself, having the youngster superbly held by Gregory at cover as the visitors slipped to 36 for 2.

Spinner Goldsworthy was called into the attack to bowl the eighth and Short lifted him for six over long-on as the over yielded 11 runs. Jack Leach did rather better when replacing him at the River End, persuading Ben Charlesworth to hole out to midwicket for 16, while Jack Taylor was run out next ball without scoring as Gloucestershire subsided to 66 for 4 at halfway.

With the required rate rising to 11 for the first time, Gloucestershire were in need of a big over. It came in the 14th, Price taking Leach for a six and a four to keep his side in the hunt. But when Price offered Green a return catch in the next over, last season's Blast champions were 102 for 5, requiring a further 63 from 35 balls. Short went to his fifth half-century in six innings from 42 balls, but Gregory returned to remove James Bracey as Somerset took a vice-like grip on proceedings.