LONDON, CMC – Chris Gayle’s savage cameo set the tone as Somerset produced a clinical run chase to beat Surrey in the English T20 Blast here yesterday.
Set a challenging 187 for victory at Taunton, the hosts reached their target with four balls remaining, to win their second straight game in the competition.
The left-handed Gayle blasted a spectacular 31 from just 13 balls at the top of the order, smashing one four and four sixes, but Somerset’s start was still muted as they slipped to 39 for three in the fourth over.
Gayle ripped into West Indies teammate Ravi Rampaul in the second over of the innings, blasting the right-arm seamer for consecutive sixes off the last three balls.
However, he perished in the following over from pacer Tom Curran, caught on the ropes at square leg by West Indies teammate Dwayne Bravo. Johann Myburgh took Gayle’s cue, striking an unbeaten 86 from 53 balls with four fours and five sixes, while Roelof van der Merwe finished on 39 not out.
The veteran Myburgh put on 63 for the fourth wicket with Lewis Gregory (21) and then a crucial 87 in an unbroken fifth wicket stand with van der Merwe.
Rampaul finished with one for 49 from his four overs while Bravo claimed one for 34 from his four.
Earlier, Bravo made just 15 batting at number five as Surrey reached 186 for four after opting to bat first.
Opener Dominic Sibley top-scored with 74 from 55 deliveries while Kumar Sangakkara chipped in with 37. At Hove, England’s Barbados-born all-rounder Chris Jordan grabbed three wickets to help Sussex to a four-wicket win over Kent, with three balls remaining.
The right-arm seamer finished with three for 18 from a brilliant four-over spell as Kent, sent in, were bowled out for 140 off their 20 overs.
New Zealander Ross Taylor then top-scored with 62 to see Sussex to victory, with Jordan managing 16 from 13 deliveries.
