MEN'S T20 BLAST ROUNDUP: Elsewhere, Somerset repeated their victory over Surrey from last year's semi-final, while Kent closed out a narrow win over Gloucestershire
Taunton: Surrey 146-9, Somerset 147-5 - Somerset won by five wickets
Somerset continued to hold sway over Surrey, beating their arch rivals by five wickets in an entertaining Vitality Blast curtain-raiser at the Cooper Associates Ground, Taunton.
Looking to avenge their defeat in last season's semi-final, the Londoners were on the receiving end of a strong batting and bowling display as Somerset gave their short format campaign lift off in front of a raucous sell-out crowd.
Put into bat, Surrey lost wickets at regular intervals and were indebted to Jason Roy, who smashed a brilliant 92 from 54 balls, smiting six fours and seven sixes in a whirlwind knock that served to carry his side to 146 for 9. Otherwise, Somerset's bowlers called the shots, overseas stars Matt Henry and Riley Meredith claiming 3 for 21 and 3 for 26 respectively to keep their rivals in check.
Will Smeed scored 35, hit four fours and a six and shared in stands of 45 and 44 with Tom Banton and Tom Kohler-Cadmore for the first and second wickets respectively, while Tom Abell contributed an assured unbeaten 29 and Ben Green a quickfire 23 not out as the home side reached their target with 13 balls to spare.
Bristol: Kent 208-3, Gloucestershire 204-7- Kent won by four runs
Daniel Bell-Drummond top-scored with 60 as Kent Spitfires began their T20 Blast campaign with an exciting four-run win over reigning champions Gloucestershire at the Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol.
The visitors posted an impressive 208 for three after losing the toss, Bell-Drummond and Tawanda Muyeye (42) sharing an opening stand of 98 before Zak Crawley (37) and Joe Denly (48 not out) accelerated the scoring in the second half of the innings.
In reply, Gloucestershire managed 204 for 7, Ollie Price blasting a rapid 51, while Miles Hammond and Ben Charlesworth both made 38. Tom Rogers took 2 for 22 from four overs.
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Matt Henry took 3 for 21 as Somerset continued their dominance over Surrey (Harry Trump/Getty Images)
David Willey proved too much with bat and ball for former side Yorkshire (Alex Whitehead/SWPix.com)
Leicester: Derbyshire 170-6, Leicestershire 171-5 - Leicestershire won by five wickets
Sol Budinger equalled the fastest half-century in T20 Blast history, from 15 balls, as Leicestershire Foxes beat Derbyshire Falcons by five wickets in the campaign opener at the Uptonsteel County Ground.
The Falcons totalled 170 for 6 thanks to a sixth-wicket stand of 76 in 52 balls from Martin Andersson (70 not out, 46 balls) and Ross Whiteley (37, 27). That represented a strong recovery from 11 for three and early damage inflicted by Logan van Beek (3 for 37)
But Budinger's thunderous 51 (17) at the top of the Foxes' reply and Shan Masood's measured unbeaten 45 (35) at the other end of it saw them to 171 for 5 with eight balls to spare.
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Headingley: Northamptonshire 237-4, Yorkshire 224-9 - Northamptonshire won by 13 runs
Captain David Willey haunted his former side as Northamptonshire's captain starred with bat and then ball in a remarkable opening night T20 Blast win for the Steelbacks, by 13 runs, against Yorkshire at Headingley.
Willey led Yorkshire's T20 side before returning home in 2022. Here, he smashed six sixes in 54 off 24 balls in a mammoth 237 for four total - his county's highest ever in this format.
Justin Broad top-scored with a career best 67 off 32 balls, the pair sharing a third-wicket stand of 85 inside six overs during the second half of the innings.
Last year's quarter-finalists then reduced Yorkshire's chase to nine for three inside five balls, Willey striking twice with his left-arm pace en-route to three for 42. But runs kept coming as Yorkshire recovered to finish with 224 for 9.
James Wharton and Australian overseas all-rounder Will Sutherland hit 58 apiece, the latter hitting four of his six sixes in one over. He faced 30 balls.
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