SOMERSET slipped down  to third place in the South Group table in the Vitality Blast after they were beaten by five wickets by the old enemy Gloucestershire in Bristol on Friday evening in front of a full house.

After being asked to bat Somerset lost Will Smeed with four on the board before Tom Banton was joined by Tom Kohler-Cadmore. The second wicket partnership added 66 when Kohler-Cadmore was out for 25 in the ninth over.

Tom Abell then walked to the middle and helped to take the total onto 146 when Banton was out for 79 which came off 53 balls with eight fours and three sixes from the penultimate delivery of the 16th over.

Abell perished for 39 with the score on 157 after which Sean Dickson who ended not out 17 and Lewis Gregory who finished unbeaten on 19 saw Somerset to188 for four from their 20 overs.

Chasing what looked to be a challenging target the Gloucestershire openers took the total onto 29 when Riley Meredith accounted for fellow Australian Cameron Bancroft in the fourth over.

Opener Miles Hammond and James Bracey then added 41 before Roelof van der Merwe bowled the former for 39. Bracey stayed at the crease to see up the 100 but shortly after was caught by Abell off the bowling of Jack Leach, playing in only his second ever T20 match, for 44.

Next over Ben Green had Jack Taylor caught by ‘keeper Banton for four before Leach claimed his second scalp of the evening when he had Beau Webster caught by Kohler-Cadmore for nine.

In the space of ten balls the hosts had slipped from 101 for two to 108 for five  and the game looked to have swung back in Somerset’s favour.

Unfortunately for the Cidermen, 18 year old Ollie Price and Ben Charlesworth then not only stemmed the fall of wickets, but blitzed 24 off the 15th over and  remained together to see Gloucestershire to 190 for five with eight balls remaining. 

Price, who blasted an unbeaten 43 off just 15 balls with three fours and four sixes, and Charlesworth, with 36 not out off 19 with four fours and two sixes, were the difference on the night.

Somerset then returned to Championship action away against Nottinghamshire and this Sunday,~June 30, host Warwickshire at Taunton.

In early July the remaining T20 matches come thick and fast with five fixtures in 14 days concluding with Glamorgan away on July 19.

If Somerset finish in the top four of the South Group they will qualify for the quarter finals of the competition which are scheduled to be played between September three and six.