Match Preview: Somerset v Lancashire, Men's Metro Bank One Day Cup
Somerset v Lancashire
Metro Bank One-Day Cup, Group A
Tuesday August 11, 2026, 11am
The Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton
Lancashire must win their final group game tomorrow to have any chance of holding onto third place in Group A for knockout cricket.
The Red Rose were beaten by Warwickshire at Rugby yesterday, the Bears chasing a 312-target to win by two wickets.
It has left Lancashire third in the table - a position they held before the Warwickshire game - and as one of four teams tied on 16 points.
Leicestershire lead Group A on 20 points, Nottinghamshire are second on 16, followed by Lancashire, Surrey and Kent.
George Balderson and co could still finish second for a home quarter-final on Friday. Otherwise, if they finished third, they would be away against the second-placed team in Group B. That’s currently Yorkshire.
Somerset are seventh in the group on 12 points and are all but out of contention.
Opposition
Much like the Vitality Blast, Somerset started slowly in the One-Day Cup. Unfortunately for them, this time, they’ve failed to find late momentum.
They were beaten semi-finalists in the Blast having come from nowhere in the group stages.
They lost three of their first five in this competition. And a couple of wins put them within striking distance.
But their seven-wicket defeat at Northamptonshire, who chased 186 on Sunday, has left them staring elimination in the face.
Captained by spin-bowling all-rounder Lewis Goldsworthy, they still have plenty of experience despite losing a number to The Hundred. The likes of Jack Leach, Jake Ball and South African overseas seamer Migael Pretorius are involved.
Opposition player to watch
Opening batter Johnny Connell hit the headlines earlier this summer by smashing a superb 150 for Berkshire in a 50-over showcase fixture against Middlesex.
Aged 23, he has been trialling in second-team cricket at Sussex and hit a century for them and was given a One-Day Cup chance by Somerset.
He has hit the heights of previous centuries in National Counties and second-team cricket, with a top-score of 33 to date for the Taunton side.
But watch out if he gets going. He is a very aggressive batter.
He also also played for Exeter University.
Previous meeting
Marcus Harris led the way with 95 as Lancashire recorded a thrilling two-wicket One-Day Cup victory over Somerset at Taunton last August.
The home side posted 250-7 after losing the toss, with Lewis Goldsworthy top-scoring with 65. Archie Vaughan and Fin Hill also contributed half-centuries.
Arav Shetty marked his List A debut with an excellent 3-34 from 10 overs of off-spin for the Red Rose.
In reply, Lancashire reached 254-8 with eight balls to spare, Harris making his runs off 99 balls with seven fours and two sixes.
George Balderson hit 65 and shared a match-winning fifth-wicket stand of 101 with the Australian overseas star.
What they said
Marcus Harris has praised the impact of Jack Blatherwick on Lancashire’s One-Day Cup campaign after a disruptive season for the seam-bowling all-rounder injury wise.
Blatherwick is Lancashire’s leading wicket-taker with 10 so far, including a best of 4-30 against Nottinghamshire at Farington at the end of last month.
In that same game, he crashed 31 with his exhilarating style of lower-order hitting.
Against Warwickshire yesterday, his contribution of 26 not out and 3-79 was impressive but ultimately in vain.
Harris, who himself starred with 89 at Rugby School yesterday, said: “Jack’s obviously had a tricky season. He's had a niggley calf, Achilles sort of thing.
“He's been on and off a little bit, and he’s been chomping at the bit to get back out here.
“He’s a bit quicker with the ball, and he’s got a good engine as well. He’s also a gun in the field.
“He’s certainly a very valuable white-ball player for us.
“He can come out and smack a couple of sixes at the end and bowls good pace. And he's got a different action and bowls some different stuff, which people aren't used to. It’s great to have in the team.”
On tomorrow specifically, Red Rose head coach Steven Croft added: "It's very tight. It's knockout cricket from here.
“Obviously we can't dwell on (Warwickshire) too much with such a quick turnaround.
“Somerset will be competitive as always, and you have to go down there with our best heads on."
How’s Stat!
Lancashire are aiming to qualify for the knockout stages of this competition for the first time since 2023, when they were beaten quarter-finalists away at Gloucestershire.
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