DEVON’S three NatWest T20 Blast debutants had a baptism of fire for Somerset against Hampshire at Southampton last night.

As Somerset could not qualify from their group, director of cricket Matt Maynard pitched in some new faces.

Ollie Sale and Ben Green made their 1st XI debuts for Somerset and Dom Bess appeared in T20 cricket for the first time.

Maynard later picked Green as his stand-out rookie of the night.

Hampshire set Somerset 182 to win and won the match by 82 runs.

Green bowled two overs for 12 runs – respectable in T20 cricket – while Bess (1-31) and Sale (0-40) were more expensive.

Green with 12 not out was one of only two Somerset batters to reach double figures. Jim Allenby (40) was the other.

After the match Maynard said: “I feel sorry for the four debutantes because chasing a total like that was always going to be tough and we needed a good start.  

“We didn’t quite get that with losing a wicket in the second over.  It was always going to be tough on that wicket. 

“It was slow and when the spinners came on I don’t think that we played them very well.

“With the likes of Afridi and Dawson you need wickets in hand to try and attack them and we didn’t have that and there was only Jim Allenby who put a score on the board this evening for us. 

“It was a bit disappointing but it was great to see Ben Green out there.  He is a cricketer of huge promise.  He knows what he is trying to do and achieve and I think he was our stand-out debutant tonight.

“I thought Dom Bess also bowled pretty well against Afridi and against Allsop who were going great guns at the time and he showed a lot of character, so there were some pleasing signs.”