Obed McCoy's dream debut

SAM DALLING AT TAUNTON: Pace off was the order of the evening. But with the knowledge that the bowler can unleash a 90mph beast, comes hesitancy. One cannot go too far forward given the speed with which one might have to hop back

Taunton: Sussex 216-7, Somerset 169 - Sussex win by 47 runs

Scorecard

We are in the age of the left-arm quick, it seems.  England are taking five of them to Holland, and in the west country they came out very much on top: 9 for 65 between Tymal Mills and Obed McCoy stopped Somerset firmly in their tracks. It was an exhibition of how to bowl at the death, all deception and rolling of the wrists.

Steve Finn had just bowled the 12th over, Tom Lammonby taking him for 18. The game hung in the balance. True, the asking rate was up at 12s, but at the postage stamp that is Taunton, that is no real hardship. Particularly with six wickets in hand.

The wily Ravi Bopara, for so long synonymous with Essex but now skippering Sussex, reintroduced himself. Canny is the word, but his knack of breaking partnerships did not come to fruition. But just five runs stemmed the flow.

And then McCoy returned. The West Indian was on debut, having only flown in from IPL duty hours earlier. On Friday his three wickets helped Rajasthan Royals into the final, which was then lost on Sunday. All while his mother was unwell back home.

Pace off was the order of the evening. But with the knowledge that the bowler can unleash a 90mph beast, comes hesitancy. One cannot go too far forward given the speed with which one might have to hop back.

Four slower balls for just two runs, and then Tom Lammonby holed out. The one-arm celebration was repeated the following ball when Lewis Gregory did likewise.

Then came Mills' turn, Roelof van der Merwe slashing at a wide one and being caught by McCoy. Marchant de Lange went immediately thereafter. Four wickets lost; no runs added. It might have been five had George Garton hit the stumps with Ben Green scrambling.

^{Somerset were comfortably beaten in the end (Harry Trump/Getty Images)}

Neither would complete a hat-trick but McCoy would add Green to his list: 5 for 33, a career- best. He had, after all, earlier outfoxed both Will Smeed and Tom Banton. A perfect start.

Mills ended with 4 for 32. He had done Tom Abell with a cutter – caught at cover – and finished the innings by removing Lewis Goldsworthy. What a joy to see him fit and firing. All the talent, all the pace. The body lets him down too often, but here's hoping he can find sustained fitness.

Because with him, McCoy, Garton, Steve Finn and potentially Rashid Khan, Sussex have a potent mix. One hesitates to criticise Somerset too much, such has been their start. This was just their fourth defeat in 17.

But they were put under pressure with the ball and will have to reflect. Yorkers were missed – 63 runs came off the final four overs, helping Sussex to 216 for 7. Harrison Ward faced just five balls and ended on 23: six, six, four, six to end the innings. De Lange wished the ground could have swallowed him. That, though, is the price of being a quick in the shortest format.

Somerset were in with a shout for while Rilee Rossouw was in the middle. McCoy, Mills twice, and Finn all got the maximum treatment. He does not carry the name of Babar Azam or Devon Conway, but he has endeared himself with volume of runs. And there is a sweetness to them too: few hit so crisply.

Three half centuries in four innings, each of which were rapid, meant the celebrations when Mills claimed the catch off Delray Rawlins were vociferous. Sussex sensed it was game changing: Roussouw had made 74 off just 29.

Sussex's innings started slowly. Maidens in T20 cricket are rare. There are in the Vitality Blast's 20-year history, just 40 men who have bowled more than one. Psychologically as a batter they can bring pressure. Particularly when they come, say, in the first over of the game on a belter of a synthetic pitch.

^{Josh Philippe made his first half century for Sussex (Harry Trump/Getty Images)}

Josh Philippe played and missed a couple of times at Tom Lammonby's opening six balls. He got none away. But he never looked worried. This is a man who won the Big Bash at his first attempt, has an IPL gig and has represented Australia.

When Lammonby continued five minutes or so later he was flicked over midwicket.  De Lange opted for pace off initially and then bang, out came the quick bumper. Nonplussed, Phillipe stayed on the front foot and swatted away for six.

His half-century – a first for Sussex – came off 34 balls. He was dropped on 56 by de Lange, a swirling skier put down off his own bowling. Unperturbed, back-to-back sixes came for Philippe. Then revenge for Green: 70 in all, from 43 balls.

Philippe was returning to Taunton for the first time since 2016. Back then he played alongside Somerset skipper Tom Abell and Ollie Sale at Taunton Cricket Club. Given his closeness to Abell, it was a slight surprise the hosts weren't in the market. Phillipe was set to sign to feature in the Blast before Covid-19 came.

But ultimately all was well. Philippe was a regular at Sabeez, a local chicken restaurant, while resident here. Chances of the Sussex team bus making a pitstop?