3 Reasons Why ESS Lost to SOM in the South Group Match of Vitality Blast 2025

It began with fireworks – and finished with ashes; for Essex, at least. On a warm evening in Taunton chasing down a monstrous 226, Essex began their task with a scent of possibility; Paul Walter was smashing an early 24 off 12 balls, Michael Pepper was throwing proper punches early on, and for a moment, the impossible looked a little less impossible. But the dream shattered quicker than a dropped catch in the slips, and by 15 overs in, Essex had collapsed to 130 all out, conceding a staggering 95-run defeat. So, how did the Eagles nose-dive so spectacularly? Let’s take a look.

The Collapse That Sank the Ship

First, let’s talk about the collapse. This is not your standard middle-order collapse; this is a complete structural failure. Essex lost six wickets in seven overs to go from 44/2 to 64/6, which included two ducks, a runout, and a whole host of moments of wondering what had just taken place. Jordan Cox, Matt Critchley, and Luc Benkenstein—none of them offered any resistance.

There was no anchor, no stabiliser, none of them facing up to say, “Let’s bat deep, chase smart.” After the power hitters got out early, the tail was exposed to the wind too early. Essex not only fell behind the run rate, but it fell into quicksand and kept sinking. There is no way for a side chasing 225 to recover from that collapse.

Tom Kohler-Cadmore’s Blitzkrieg

Now we move right to the other end: Tom Kohler-Cadmore. What a man! He turned Taunton into a barbeque in his backyard against Essex’s bowling with one of the most ferocious innings of the tournament – 90 off 39 balls, seven sixes, eight fours strike rate of 230. It was not an inning, it was an exorcism.

Kohler-Cadmore ramped Somerset’s innings up from steady to volatile, at the game’s most critical point, the 2.2 to 14.2 overs, such that Essex needed oxygen masks just looking at it. Kohler-Cadmore, even Mohammed Amir’s imperious 3/22, couldn’t stop the cyclone. This inning flipped the pressure switch permanently. The point it happened was the time Essex stopped thinking about winning and started thinking about survival.

Bowling Woes and Fielding Frailties

Lastly, let’s not overlook the invisible saboteurs of poor planning and fielding fatigue. Essex’s bowling plan was simply wrong – too much width, not enough variation. Charlie Bennett went for 41 in 3 overs, Luc Benkenstein 43 in his 3. Even Simon Harmer, normally calm amid the chaos, was bleeding runs at a rate of 9.5 runs this innings.

And then there was the fielding. We misfielded and missed catches (none that were registered, but certainly some moments of “should ‘had”), and we were, as a team, just one step behind. Essex was inevitably going to struggle with a batting unit that looked like it was reliant on a handful of stars rather than a functioning engine once those stars went out.

When everything was said and done, the scoreboard simply didn’t show a defeat; it told a story of total and complete domination. In every facet of the match, Somerset’s explosive batting, ruthless bowling, and overall awareness outshone Essex. What seemed like a “changeable” score halfway through quickly became Mount Everest by the 10th over. The tools were with Essex, but Somerset’s timing and temperament, along with Tom Kohler-Cadmore’s brilliance, made the difference.

Disclaimer: This Exclusive News is based on the author’s understanding, analysis, and instinct. As you review this information, consider the points mentioned and form your own conclusions.

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