Southampton Oval (Somerset won toss): Somerset beat Willow Cuts by 67 runs

Somerset needed just nine players as they maintained their position as Athene T20 Premier Division contenders with a clear victory over arch rivals Willow Cuts on Sunday.

A near-century opening partnership between Kamau Leverock and Dominic Sabir proved crucial as the pair bludgeoned a toothless Cuts bowling attack for 97 runs, 62 coming from boundaries, before Leverock was bowled by wicketkeeper-turned seamer Shaquille Bean for 27.

Sabir soon followed, attempting to heave a Sher-maur Gomes delivery outside the ropes, but only succeeding in skying a catch to long-on, where Chakote Basden pouched the chance. Sabir’s tally of 62 included seven fours and three sixes.

Despite the duo’s dismissal the runs kept flowing for Somerset with JD Albertze (17) and Alje Richardson (37) taking their turn to plunder the attack when engaging in a 53-run third-wicket partnership, before both were caught by Bean of the slow bowling of Herbie Bascome.

Somerset’s innings was eventually closed at 183 for seven, an above-par total and a target that was always going to be challenging for Cuts to match with a patched together line-up.

Considering his side’s shortage of fielders, Somerset captain Jordan DeSilva adopted the strategy of spin and taking pace off the ball as a means of enhancing accuracy, while forcing the opposition into higher-risk attacking shots.

Cuts captain Antonio Darrell received a life on one, with the total at 17 after Azar Morrissey spilled a simple pop-up at mid-off.

Darrell would not be so fortunate moments later when caught by Matt Fullerton off his Somerset counterpart DeSilva for an individual contribution of seven, he and Bean having put on 30 runs for the first wicket.

Once Darrell left a mini-collapse ensued, with Bean and Chakote Basden following in quick succession, leaving Cuts floundering at 48 for three.

Ras Solomon Burrows (17) and Herbie Bascome steered Cuts out of trouble with a fourth-wicket partnership worth 36 before the former was caught by Richardson off the bowling of Azar Morrissey.

With Burrows went all possibility of a positive result, with Cuts eventually able to bat out their overs but falling 67 runs short of the required target.