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Somerset vs Essex Predictions - Smeed to smash Essex down to earth

Simon Lewis

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Last updated: 07 Jul 2025

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Simon Lewis 07 Jul 2025

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Will Smeed (396 runs, ave 49.50) is top of the Vitality Blast runs list.
Paul Walter hit four sixes in his 26-ball 55 against Surrey.
Can Somerset make it nine wins in 11?

Expired

Will Smeed hits out against Glamorgan (credit: Harry Trump/Getty Images)

Somerset vs Essex Predictions

Somerset are comfortably on top of the South Group after picking up eight wins from 10. I’m backing them to crush Essex, who are bottom of the group with just one win.

Somerset’s Will Smeed has scored 81*, 51*, 24, 68, 24, 72 & 25 in his 9 innings in the Blast this season.
Somerset’s Sean Dickson scored 52 off 33 balls against Hampshire.
Essex’s Paul Walter has scored 26, 35, 30, 39 & 55 in his last 6 innings in the Blast.
Essex’s Jordan Cox has scored 31, 82, 23, 21 & 25 in his last 6 innings in the Blast.

Head-to-Head

Somerset have won four of their last five matches against Essex in the Blast. The other match was abandoned without a ball being bowled.

Somerset Form

Somerset bounced back from their second defeat of the season to beat Hampshire by four wickets with one ball to spare.

Craig Overton (1/17, econ 4.25) was sensational with the ball as the Somerset bowlers restricted Hampshire to 178/3 off their 20 overs.

Somerset were well-placed at 50/3 in the seventh over, setting the scene for a match-winning fourth-wicket stand of 89 between Tom Abell (37 off 26 balls) and Sean Dickson (52 off 33 balls).

Somerset Team News

Somerset are in superb form and are unlikely to make any changes to their team.

Essex Form

After a season of eight defeats and one no-result, Essex picked up their first win of the season when they beat Surrey off the last ball of the match on the D/L method.

With the match reduced to 12 overs a side, Surrey scored a competitive 141/6. Mohammad Amir (2/36) and Luc Benkenstein (2/23) starred with the ball for Essex.

Michael Pepper (36 off 15 balls) and Paul Walter (55 off 26 balls) set the stage with an opening stand of 64. Matt Critchley hit 2-2-4 off the last three balls to snatch victory away from Surrey.

Essex Team News

With their Blast campaign over for all intents and purposes, Essex are likely to play with the freedom that brought them their win over Surrey in their last game.

Verdict

Somerset v Essex

I am backing Somerset to win. I am also backing Will Smeed to top score for Somerset.

Paul Walter is a good bet to top score for the Essex.

Somerset Win

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