Gloucestershire win first T20 title in club’s history after beating Somerset by eight wickets in Vitality Blast final at Edgbaston

Two southpaws delivered the knockout blows as Gloucestershire became Twenty20 champions for the first time courtesy of the best bowling performance in the history of finals days.

Matt Taylor and David Payne, the two left-armers in question, shared 10 wickets as they became only the second winners to dismiss opponents in both the semi-final and final – following up the demolition of Sussex for 106 in the afternoon match by polishing off reigning champions Somerset for 124.

It was Taylor, brother of captain Jack Taylor, who led the way with combined figures of six for 43 while Payne, the competition’s leading wicket-taker, bagged four for 36.

Victory by eight wickets at Edgbaston represented a reprise of the club’s glory years at the turn of the century when they claimed six white-ball trophies under the captaincy of Mark Alleyne.

Now, seven months into a second stint as Gloucestershire head coach, Alleyne has guided them to more silverware, meaning only four counties – Derbyshire, Durham, Glamorgan and Yorkshire – remain pot-less in the competition’s 22-year existence.

They peaked late in the season to surge to the Vitality Blast final and delivered one of the best bowling performances a finals day has seen 

Only four teams have failed to lift the Vitality Blast title in the competition’s 22-year history

Gloucestershire undoubtedly peaked at the right time: after sneaking into the latter stages on net run rate, they were nigh-on faultless in knockout cricket, muzzling Birmingham Bears in the quarter final at the same venue and returning to the second city eight days later with masterful displays in the filed.

Their ability to take wickets on a dry Edgbaston surface proved key as only Somerset captain Lewis Gregory got to grips with them, hitting a 37-ball 53, after his opposite number Taylor won the toss.

They had all but settled their first contest of the day two balls out of the power-play when Sussex were reduced to 44 for five and the procession continued against Somerset – the only other winners to take 20 wickets in both semi-final and final of this tournament, last year.

Australian Cameron Bancroft and Miles Hammond, Gloucestershire’s opening pair, blazed their way to half-centuries as their south-west rivals’ outstanding week took a nosedive, and Ollie Price settled things at 9.20pm when he drilled the final delivery of the 15th over from Jake Ball for a straight six.

Somerset had taken place in the final after making it two stunning wins over Surrey in a few hours, following the dramatic result at Taunton in midweek that breathed new life into the County Championship title race.

This time, they recovered from seven for three, chasing 154: a counter-attacking stand of 144 between Sean Dickson and James Rew turning the tide.