Somerset best Surrey despite Jason Roy's 92

Somerset continued to hold sway over Surrey, beating their arch rivals by five wickets in an entertaining Vitality Blast curtain-raiser at the Cooper Associates Ground, Taunton.

Looking to avenge their defeat to the Cider county in last season's semi-final, the Londoners were on the receiving end of a strong batting and bowling display as Somerset gave their short format campaign lift-off in front of a raucous sell-out crowd.

Put into bat, Surrey lost wickets at regular intervals and were indebted to Jason Roy, who smashed a brilliant 92 from 54 balls, smiting six fours and seven sixes in a whirlwind knock that served to carry his side to 146 for 9. Otherwise, Somerset's bowlers called the shots, overseas stars Matt Henry and Riley Meredith claiming 3 for 21 and 3 for 26 respectively to keep their rivals in check.

Will Smeed scored 35, hit four fours and a six and shared in stands of 45 and 44 with Tom Banton and Tom Kohler-Cadmore for the first and second wickets respectively, while Tom Abell contributed an assured unbeaten 29 and Ben Green a quickfire 23 not out as the home side reached their target with 13 balls to spare.

Somerset boast a formidable seam bowling attack and Henry made an immediate impact from the River end, inducing Dom Sibley to chip to mid-on in the second over. Demonstrating clever variation, Craig Overton then sent down a maiden to apply further pressure.

If Ollie Pope was becalmed, Roy made amends, hoisting Overton over mid-wicket for a huge six to break the shackles and then playing a back-foot force through the covers to afford the innings overdue impetus. Henry checked Surrey progress in the sixth, Pope directing a top edge to short mid-wicket and departing for a 12-ball five as the powerplay yielded an underwhelming 30 for 2.

But Roy remains a potent force and he overcame a diffident start to stage a restorative stand with Sam Curran, who adopted the role of chief support in helping advance the score to 66 for 2 at halfway. Now at his fluent best, Roy went to a 31-ball 50, pulling a Meredith bouncer high over square leg for his third six of an increasingly authoritative innings.

The third wicket stand was worth 57 when Curran tried his luck against Green and holed out to Thomas Rew at deep mid-wicket for 22 with the score 85 for 3 in the thirteenth. Unconstrained by his captain's demise, Roy helped himself to sixes at the expense of Goldsworthy and Gregory as he powered towards three figures.

He enjoyed a slice of good fortune on 71, holing out to backward square, only to be reprieved when Gregory was adjudged to have over-stepped. Gregory persisted and had Laurie Evans held at long-on later in the same over as Surrey slipped to 107 for 4. Overton again demonstrated safe hands to dismiss Tom Curran for nine, Henry returning at the Marcus Trescothick Pavilion end to further reduce Surrey to 119 for 5.

Meredith removed Ollie Sykes, pouched on the deep mid-wicket boundary and Green had Chris Jordan caught at long-on. But the indefatigable Roy responded by twice lofting Green over mid-wicket for six to move into the nineties. He was eight runs short of a hundred when he hit Meredith high into the air and holed out to mid-off in the final over.

If Somerset's batsmen needed reassurance, Smeed and Banton provided it in an opening stand of 45 in six overs to afford the reply solid foundations. Squared up by Sam Curran, Banton skied a catch to backward point and fell for 23, but Smeed immediately picked up the cudgels, greeting Yousef Majid's slow left arm with an imposing six over fine leg to keep the scoreboard moving.

Tom Kohler-Cadmore matched Smeed blow for blow, pulling Nathan Smith for a majestic six over square leg and helping himself to a trio of fours in a violent 10-ball knock of 23, adding 44 in 3.3 overs for the second wicket before losing off stump to Tom Curran.

Sam Curran bowled Smeed for a 29-ball 35 in the next over, at which point Somerset were 98 for 3, requiring a further 49 to win at less than a run a ball. Rew's debut lasted five balls, the youngster held at long-on off the bowling of Yousef, who then removed Gregory to reduce the home side to 112 for 5 in the fourteenth and give Surrey a glimmer of hope.

Abell and Green calmed any nerves, these two batting sensibly in an unbroken sixth wicket alliance of 35 to see their side over the line. Green finished with a flourish, taking Jordan for a six and four in the seventeenth over on his way to 23 not out from 16 balls.