Somerset left to wallow in the pain of another near miss

SAM DALLING AT EDGBASTON: Somerset arrived full of belief. The club's allocation of 600 tickets was snapped up within an hour. Taunton was a hive of activity at 6am on Saturday morning, excited groups wondering if this would be their year. It was not

Perhaps they peaked too early? 

In securing a home quarter-final by plundering 218 to beat Surrey, Somerset cantered to Edgbaston. Derbyshire visited Taunton and were treated with the disdain usually reserved for an away fan who takes a wrong turn into a home pub on derby day. An English T20 record 265 ended in a 191-run victory. 

And 191 is exactly what Somerset required to secure a place in a second consecutive Vitality Blast final. They fell well short. Bowled out for 153, they failed to navigate the 20 overs. With the depth in their batting line-up, that is rare. 

The chase was never really on. There were glimpses, moments where Somerset threatened to get going but they were always behind the rate. Forty-one came off overs 10 through 12.  Could they? No. The innings was interspersed by frequent wickets, and 64 off 24 balls was all but impossible. 

Somerset arrived full of belief, supporters and players buoyant. The club's official allocation of 600 tickets was snapped up within an hour of Monday's sale. Taunton was a hive of activity at 6am on Saturday morning, excited groups wondering if this would be their year. This had to be their year. How can it not be their year?

But by 6pm they knew it was not. And Somerset departed a seventh straight Finals Day empty both of hand and heart. Because it matters to this group. They get flack from the sidelines, from social media - and they will again after this.

^{Lewis Goldsworthy is bowled during Somerset's semi-final defeat [Getty Images]}

But they really care, none more so than Tom Abell. There is nothing he wants more than to bring trophies to Taunton. It would have taken all his media training, all his mental strength, to take that breath before addressing the press afterwards. The hurt was plastered all over his face, the tears hidden behind the eyes. 

"A really disappointing day for us," he said. "Across all three facets we weren't quite at our best. We fell behind the rate too early and couldn't quite keep up in the middle. We couldn't get a partnership going. We didn't execute with the bat.

"A huge thank you to the fans. We are just as gutted as they are. It's clear to see the huge support we've got. Again, a huge thank you. It's just very disappointing for everyone connected with the club. We couldn't quite be at our best when we needed to today." 

As Abell admits, there were bits Somerset got wrong. They were below par, below their electric selves in the field. They gave up a few runs, and felt the absence of their talisman Craig Overton. But there is plenty of missing stardust, so there can be no complaints. 

Being used to something does not make it any less painful. Maybe there is some comfort in not falling at the last. Only maybe though... and there is little time to mope

And they simply came up against a better team on the day. That happens. Of the four sides at Edgbaston, Hampshire's was the stand-out. They are the form team too, having looked down and out early in the group stages only to flourish. And this is their ninth Finals Day in 13 years (albeit they had lost five consecutive semi-finals before this).  

Experience of these occasions counts, though, and they have it in abundance; Ben McDermott, Chris Wood, James Fuller and Liam Dawson to name a few. Plus in James Vince and Nathan Ellis, Hampshire have the tournament's stand-out batter and bowler. 

Tom Banton and Will Smeed combined for England Lions in midweek to swat aside South Africa. Rather than a flyer, though, here they made 21, the former run out by Mason Crane swooping at point. It was avoidable, very avoidable. It was also an exceptional gather and throw. Whether Banton plays on this stage for Somerset again hangs in the balance. 

^{Will Smeed drops Tom Prest [Getty Images]}

There was a nervousness to the entire attempted chase. Tentative, prodding and poking rather than fluency. The entire top seven cleared the boundary, but only Rilee Rossouw did it twice. He has lit the tournament up - only Vince has made more runs - but perhaps for the first time he felt expectation's weight. 

Four dots against Brad Wheal were relieved by a straight six. But off 15 he had just 13. Wheal was then launched high over the Hollies for comfortably the day's biggest hit. But he fell for uncharacteristically sluggish 23 off 20.  Supporters would have turned to each other knowingly, looks and gesticulations saying far more than words ever could. To them it was the game. 

Abell tried to push the tempo, Lewis Gregory too. Tom Lammonby made 34 but, valiant as it was, it was never quite quick enough. And every ball seemed to find a fielder, every potential two kept to one.  

Being used to something does not make it any less painful. Maybe there is some comfort in not falling at the last. Only maybe though. 

But there is little time to mope. Relegation - if indeed that is what the powers that be decide will be the fate of the LV=Insurance County Championship Division One's bottom two - is a very real threat. 

Their opponents this week are Yorkshire, the other beaten semi-finalists. Both teams will need an adrenaline shot: "Come Tuesday we will all be in a good place and ready to go," Abell insisted. And with that, he departed to hurt in private.

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