Meet Sussex Sharks' next Vitality Blast opponents: Somerset

As Sussex gear up to face Somerset tomorrow (5 August) we take a look at the Sharks' next opponents.
Sussex Shark George Garton (picture by PW Sporting Photography)Sussex Shark George Garton (picture by PW Sporting Photography)
Sussex Shark George Garton (picture by PW Sporting Photography)

T20 record: Winners 2005

Last season: Fourth in South Group. Lost to Notts Outlaws at Trent Bridge in quarter-finals

Captain: Lewis Gregory

Overseas Players: Corey Anderson (New Zealand)

Big Hitter: Corey Anderson’s contribution to Somerset’s 2017 T20 campaign was restricted to four matches by a back problem.

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But the opening South Group game against Surrey at The Oval showed the New Zealander’s capabilities as he blasted 81 off 45 balls, despite having been injured bowling the opening over of the match.

Anderson later hit 41 off 17 deliveries against Sussex at Taunton and will relish the plum one-day batting tracks at the Cooper Associates County Ground.

Key Bowler: Leg-spinner Max Waller has developed into a T20 specialist over the years, targeting batsmen’s pads with googlies delivered with a flat trajectory and maintaining an increasingly impressive economy rate.

There is enough variation in his bowling to make key breakthroughs and he was Somerset’s leading wicket taker in the shortest format last season with 16.

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A brilliant fielder, Waller comes into his own at this time of year and can be counted upon to keep things relatively tight in the middle overs.

Wild Card: After a brilliant start to the summer in the second XI, 19-year-old Tom Banton did not make the most of his opportunities in the Royal London One-Day Cup, with a top score of 40 in six innings.

But that is unlikely to deter Somerset from offering the exciting youngster a top-order position in T20 as he has shown an ability to take apart bowling attacks in white ball cricket, along with the intelligence to adapt his game to the match situation.

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