THE Somerset Visually Impaired Cricket Club faced off against London Metro in the rescheduled 2024 David Townley T20 Cup final.

The match was played at Wombats Cricket Club, near Bishops Lydeard where, in spite of a rain delay, the game proceeded for the full 20 overs.

Somerset lost the toss and were put in to bat. England captain Ed Hossell, opening alongside his brother Rory, made a brisk start, advancing Somerset to 32 runs before Rory was caught for 13. Ed was then joined at the crease by Adrian Snellgrove, classified as B1, which necessitates the use of eye masking. The B1 classification indicates individuals with the most severe visual impairments, including those with no light perception or the ability to perceive only light and movement without recognising shapes.

As a B1 player, the runs scored by Adrian were doubled, and he impressively contributed 24 runs before being bowled, making Somerset's score 82 for 4 wickets.

The subsequent four batters delivered excellent performances, enabling Somerset to set a target of 131 runs for 7 wickets.

Following a brief innings break, Somerset took to the field with determination, quickly reducing their opponents to 69 for 5. An exceptional catch by Ed Hossell at deep backward point dismissed one of London Metro's key players for 23 runs which made the score 102 for 7 with four overs remaining.

The Somerset team's remarkable fielding compelled London Metro to take greater risks, resulting in two outstanding run outs executed by Rory Hossell and Kathryn Jelfs-White, bringing the score to 123 for 9 and securing a victory for Somerset.

Congratulations to the Somerset Visually Impaired players on their success - this was a real team effort and thoroughly deserved.

If you are keen to find out more about Visually Impaired cricket, please contact [email protected]