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    Gloucestershire Edges Out Somerset in Thrilling Five-Wicket Victory
Gloucestershire Edges Out Somerset in Thrilling Five-Wicket Victory
Gloucestershire Team. Source: espncricinfo.com

Gloucestershire Edges Out Somerset in Thrilling Five-Wicket Victory

Ben Charlesworth's six off the penultimate ball secured Gloucestershire's dramatic five-wicket win over rivals Somerset in the Vitality Blast South Group match at Taunton.

Gloucestershire chased down a target of 195, needing 13 runs from the final over bowled by Ben Green. Charlesworth's unbeaten 24 off 13 balls at the end was instrumental, with significant contributions from Miles Hammond (42) and Beau Webster (39).

Somerset set a total of 194 for six, with 32 runs coming from the last over after Josh Shaw was removed for bowling two high full-toss no-balls. Tom Banton top-scored with an unbeaten 77, hitting six fours and four sixes, and shared an 88-run partnership with Green, who scored 47 off 25 balls.

After losing the toss, Somerset reached 58 for two in the six-over power play. Will Smeed was caught at cover off David Payne, and Tom Kohler-Cadmore was caught at mid-off for 22 off Shaw's bowling in the fifth over.

Banton was dropped thrice on 11, 12, and 20 by Gloucestershire skipper Jack Taylor and Ollie Price, but the visitors continued to take wickets, with Marchant de Lange delivering three sharp overs. Somerset's boundaries dried up, and at 148 for five at the end of the 18th over, with Tom Abell, Sean Dickson, and Lewis Gregory dismissed cheaply, they seemed to fall short of a competitive total.

However, Payne conceded 14 runs in the 19th over, and Green hit 6, 4, 4, 2 off the first four balls of the final over bowled by Shaw. The deliveries above waist height resulted in no-balls, leading to Shaw's removal. Off-spinner Price bowled the last four deliveries, with Green hitting another four and a six before being caught at wide long-on. Banton's key role saw Somerset end their innings with momentum.

In response, Cameron Bancroft fell for a five-ball duck at the start of Gloucestershire's innings, caught at mid-off off Gregory. However, the visitors raced to 55 for one by the end of the power play, with James Bracey hitting Riley Meredith for three consecutive fours and Hammond in fine form.

The partnership added 66 in 5.2 overs before Hammond was caught at long-on off Roelof van der Merwe after hitting the previous ball for six. Bracey, on 31, followed in the next over, miscuing a catch to point, giving Gregory his second wicket.

Taylor and Webster kept Gloucestershire on track with sensible cricket, taking 20 off Jake Ball's 15th over. Their 65-run stand in 6.1 overs ended when Taylor was caught off Josh Davey, with 44 needed from 27 balls.

Webster was caught brilliantly by wicketkeeper Banton off Gregory at the start of the 18th over, making Gregory Somerset's all-time leading wicket-taker in T20 cricket. Back-to-back boundaries from Price left Gloucestershire needing 21 off the last two overs.

With Meredith unable to bowl his final two overs due to a back spasm, Green bowled at the death. Price and Charlesworth hit crucial sixes, sealing a remarkable victory for Gloucestershire.

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