Somerset vs Gloucestershire T20 Blast 2025 Recap

Result · Vitality Blast

Final result

Somerset won by 16 runs

Result · Vitality Blast

SOM

Somerset

164/7

defeated

GLO

Gloucestershire

148/8

Venue par · 174Chase success · 52%

Match preview & overview

Somerset hold off Gloucestershire by 16 runs in Taunton Blast clash

Somerset beat Gloucestershire by 16 runs in the 2025 Vitality Blast at The Cooper Associates County Ground on 18 July 2025. Winning the toss and choosing to bat, Somerset posted 164/7 from their 20 overs. Gloucestershire's reply reached 148/8, leaving Somerset comfortable winners on home soil. It was a match decided largely in the powerplay and the death overs rather than the middle phase, where both sides were broadly comparable.

Somerset's 53 for 2 in the powerplay gave them early control. Gloucestershire's 43 for 2 in the same phase put them immediately under pressure on the required rate. By the time the death overs arrived, Gloucestershire needed momentum but instead lost 3 wickets for 44 runs, which ended any realistic prospect of overhauling the target.

The result moves Somerset to 12 wins from 22 head-to-head meetings against Gloucestershire, breaking what had been a precisely level rivalry. Gloucestershire had won three of the previous four encounters between the sides, so Somerset's home victory here carries some weight beyond the points table.

Pitch report & venue insights

County Ground — 415-match sample

Aggregate conditions from 2006–2025. Numbers that tend to decide matches at this ground — par score, chase success, powerplay averages and toss bias.

415

T20 matches hosted

174

Avg 1st-innings score

158

Avg 2nd-innings score

52%

Chase success rate

Avg powerplay runs

70%

Toss-field rate

Key talking points

Moments the match hinged on

5 angles

Headline angle

Somerset's powerplay gave them the platform

Somerset raced to 53 runs for the loss of 2 wickets in the powerplay, which is just above the venue's average of 52. That early momentum proved decisive. Gloucestershire's chase started slower, managing only 43 for 2 in the same phase and never quite recovered the required rate.

Angle 02

Below-par total at a ground that averages 182

The Cooper Associates County Ground has an average first-innings score of 182 across 76 T20 matches. Somerset's 164/7 fell 18 runs short of that mark, meaning Gloucestershire faced a chaseable target. The visitors' failure to get there reflects how Somerset's bowling held firm when it mattered.

Angle 03

Death overs swung the match Somerset's way

Somerset scored 49 runs in the death overs for just 1 wicket, comfortably above the venue's average of 42. Gloucestershire's death phase was more costly: 44 runs but 3 wickets fell, which halted any realistic chance of a late surge. That 5-run swing in the final phase effectively settled it.

Angle 04

An even rivalry tipped slightly Somerset's way

Somerset and Gloucestershire share an exactly level head-to-head record across 22 T20 meetings, with 11 wins apiece. Somerset had lost three of the previous four contests between the sides, so this win nudges the balance back. The home side also won the toss and chose to bat first, a decision backed by data at this ground.

Angle 05

Toss strategy aligned with venue trends

Teams that win the toss at Taunton field 79% of the time, yet Somerset bucked that trend and batted. The ground's chase success rate of just 43% across 76 matches suggests that call was still sound in principle. Setting a total, even a modest one, gave the home side a structural advantage.

Key players

Players who decided it

Somerset

SM Curran

Sam Curran has shown he can be devastating in short bursts at this level, taking 5/26 in four overs in a 2023 Blast match. At a ground where death-over bowling is often the difference, his ability to take wickets in the back end of an innings is particularly valuable.

Career stats

Gloucestershire

BGF Green

Ben Green has twice taken five wickets in a Blast innings, including 5/29 against this opposition in 2024. He represents Gloucestershire's best chance of blowing through a batting line-up, and at a ground with a modest average second-innings score of 167, wicket-taking in the powerplay could flip the momentum.

Career stats

Somerset

JM Vince

James Vince struck 129 not out off 62 balls in a 2022 Blast fixture, demonstrating he can tear apart short-format attacks when set. A strong powerplay scorer who can carry that momentum into the middle overs.

Career stats

Gloucestershire

JE Taylor

Jerome Taylor's 5/15 in four overs in the 2018 Blast remains one of the more remarkable T20 bowling performances recorded at this ground. Gloucestershire will need early wickets to pull ahead, and Taylor's record here shows he can deliver them.

Career stats

Somerset

SA Northeast

Sam Northeast scored 114 off 58 balls in a 2015 Blast fixture at this ground, showing the surface can reward aggressive batting from the off. His familiarity with the conditions makes him a threat at the top of the order.

Career stats

Betting & analytical angles

Angles the data surfaced

Observations from the venue data, recent form and historical trends. Editorial context, not betting advice.

Top batter markets may offer more predictable value than outright result lines given the low chase success rate of 43% at this venue, which compresses the range of likely outcomes.
Powerplay runs markets are worth watching given how closely both sides tracked the venue average of 52 runs in this fixture: Somerset hit 53, Gloucestershire 43.
Five-wicket haul markets for specialist bowlers could attract interest given that Green, Curran, and Taylor each have a Blast five-fer at venues in this competition.
Given the ground's average first-innings score of 182, matches that start early and avoid dew may see batting-friendly totals that skew top-scorer lines upward.

For editorial context only. Not a forecast and not betting advice. 18+ only, please gamble responsibly.

Frequently asked

Questions about Somerset vs Gloucestershire

Who won the Somerset vs Gloucestershire T20 Blast match on 18 July 2025?

Somerset won by 16 runs. They posted 164/7 batting first at The Cooper Associates County Ground in Taunton, then bowled Gloucestershire out for 148/8 in reply.

What was the head-to-head record between Somerset and Gloucestershire before this match?

The two sides had met 21 times in T20 cricket before this fixture, with Somerset leading 11 wins to 10. This win extends Somerset's tally to 12 from 22, though the overall record remains extremely tight.

Where to watch Somerset vs Gloucestershire in the Vitality Blast?

Vitality Blast fixtures are broadcast live on Sky Sports Cricket. You can stream matches via Sky Go or a NOW TV Sports membership. Selected highlights and scorecards are also available on the ECB's official website.

What is the average score at The Cooper Associates County Ground in T20 cricket?

Across 76 T20 matches at the ground, the average first-innings score is 182 and the average second-innings score is 167. The chase success rate stands at 43%, making it a ground that historically favours teams batting first.

How did Gloucestershire's recent form look heading into this match?

Gloucestershire had won two and lost three of their five most recent Blast fixtures in 2025, with defeats against Sussex, Middlesex, and Surrey. That inconsistency made it difficult for them to build any sustained momentum in the competition.

What did Somerset's form look like going into this fixture?

Somerset had won three of their five most recent Blast matches in 2025, beating Kent, Essex, and Hampshire before losing to Surrey. Three wins from five suggests reasonable form, and the home advantage at Taunton has historically been significant.

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