OVER the next few days Somerset will be looking to get back to winning ways in both the Nat West T20 Blast and the LV=Championship.

They host Essex tomorrow (Friday) evening in the T20, starting at 5.30pm.

Then on Sunday Somerset entertain Lancashire in the four day competition.

After two wins on the trot in the short format of the game to start their climb up the South Group table, the Cidermen were well beaten by Middlesex at the Oval last Wednesday evening.

And with half of their games gone they know their chances of qualifying for the finals day at Edgbaston in August are slipping away.

Director of Cricket Dave Nosworthy is only too well aware of the situation.

He said: “With seven matches left in the qualifying rounds, we are seriously intent on changing our fortunes.

“Even though we may be a touch fatigued like all other teams, we will seriously need to be up for Friday night against a decent T20 team in Essex.

“I look forward to our team expressing themselves – and being seriously desirous and up for the scrap.”

Meanwhile, despite fighting back well in their Championship match against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge – where Pete Trego hit a century and last man Jamie Overton topped 50 for the second time this season – Somerset suffered their first defeat of the campaign in the competition.

However they have a great chance to get their challenge for the Championship pennant back on track when they entertain struggling Lancashire who are likely to include former County Ground favourite Jos Buttler in their line up.

Looking towards Sunday’s fixture Nosworthy said: “This is an encounter we are seriously looking forward to and we can’t wait to get back on home turf.

“We need to continue on our way in terms of playing quality four day cricket, and put behind any negatives from the Notts match.

“Even though we maybe didn’t get the result we wanted there were a lot of positives from the match and these we will continue to build on.”

Next Friday (July 4) Somerset play Glamorgan away in the T20 and two days later visit Hampshire in the same competition before hosting Gloucestershire on Friday, July 11.