On Monday, Somerset secured their eighth victory in the Vitality T20 Blast 2023 with a comfortable seven-wicket win over Kent in Chelmsford. They successfully chased down a target of 187 runs in just 16.3 overs, thanks to the valuable contributions from their top five batsmen.
Tom Banton (42), Will Smeed (36), Tom Kohler-Cadmore (28), Tom Abell (40*), and Sean Dickson (30*) all played crucial roles in achieving the victory. Among their notable performances, Banton’s shot stood out, drawing comparisons to his fellow countryman Joe Root.
The standout moment occurred in the second ball of the fifth over, delivered by left-arm fast bowler Paul Walter. Banton had already made up his mind before the ball was released and executed a reverse swat with precision, sending the ball sailing over backward point for a six.
While not identical, Banton’s shot reminded spectators of Joe Root’s attempts to play the reverse-sweep against the formidable Australian pace attack comprising Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Scott Boland during the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston.
Who plays it better, @TBanton18 or Joe Root? đź‘€ #Blast23 pic.twitter.com/mk2Qn2nLLv
— Vitality Blast (@VitalityBlast) June 19, 2023
Interestingly, Root began employing this shot after relinquishing the captaincy and passing the baton to Ben Stokes.