Webster's maiden T20 ton ends Warwickshire's winless T20 Blast run


Beau Webster belted a brilliant maiden T20 century as Warwickshire registered their first victory of the Vitality Blast campaign, beating holders Somerset by six wickets at the Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton. With nine fours and seven sixes, the Australian international scored 112 from 61 deliveries and dominated a stand of 145 in 12.5 overs with Dan Mousley, who contributed an unbeaten 36-ball 71 as the Bears reached their victory target of 216 with two balls remaining. Jordan Hermann had earlier led Somerset to 215 for 4, scoring 90 not out from 48 balls with nine fours and sixes. The South African left-hander combined with Lewis Gregory - who smashed a 26-ball 55 not out - in a high-octane partnership of 117 off the last eight overs, but it was not enough to prevent Somerset suffering a fourth straight defeat in the Central and West Group. Somerset raced to 35 off 21 deliveries after being put in, only to lose Tom Banton, caught at mid-on off the bowling of Webster for 24. With the score 39 for 2, fellow opener Josh Thomas left in the next over by top-edging a lifting delivery from Richard Gleeson to deep third. Together with James Rew, Hermann led a comeback, adding 59 runs for the third wicket to get Somerset back on track. Rew adopted a supporting role, contributing 28 before hoisting Jordan Thompson to deep midwicket. As Somerset fell to 98 for 4 in the 13th, younger brother Thomas Rew was bowled by the next delivery. However, Hermann scored a half-century in 30 balls with five fours and three sixes to give the innings new life. Gregory was a willing partner for him; the fifth-wicket partnership scored 50 off 25 balls before unleashing a terrifying late assault as the Bears' bowling faltered. Gregory opened his shoulders and hit three sixes and a four in one Mousley over. He went on to a blistering 50 from 22 balls with a towering six off Thompson, and the partnership for a hundred came together in just 41 deliveries. Rob Yates and Webster added 45 runs in 4.3 overs to give the reply lift-off after Zen Malik was run out by Lewis Goldsworthy without scoring. When Yates hit a ball from Alfie Ogborne off his legs and was held at short fine leg, the score was 24 from 15. Somerset's respite was short-lived as Mousley and Webster combined to make the score 92 for 2 at halftime as the third-wicket pair put pressure on Somerset's seamers. As the rain started to fall, Webster scored 50 out of 35 deliveries to move Warwickshire ahead on DLS. Struggling to control a wet ball, Somerset's bowlers had no answer to the onslaught as Webster went to three figures from 54 balls, while Mousley's half-century took 29 deliveries. With 25 more from 13 balls needed, Gregory had Webster caught long-off, but Mousley kept his cool and finished the job.