THE fate of this week's Bob Willis Trophy clash with Gloucestershire is out of Somerset's hands, despite them doing all they could to finish off their West Country rivals on Monday evening.

What little play was possible on the third day saw the visitors tumble from 14-3 at the start to 63-8 by the close, having been set a highly unlikely 385 to win.

Somerset seamers Josh Davey and Craig Overton continued to wreak havoc, ending the day with identical figures of 4-25, but the hosts could not take the final two wickets required to confirm a third victory out of four matches this season.

Umpires Ian Blackwell and Paul Baldwin deemed the light too poor to continue past 6.20pm, with a possible five overs remaining.

Fully aware that more rain is forecast for tomorrow, Somerset were desperate to finish their match today, to avoid being denied an almost certain victory by the weather for the second week running.

Heavy overnight rain, followed by showers throughout Monday, had meant no play before tea.

The players finally emerged at 4pm, but the rain returned at 5.25pm, with Gloucestershire 61-6.

Play resumed at 6.05pm, Somerset claimed two more wickets, but only three more overs had been bowled by the time the umpires made their decision on the light.

The fourth and final day is due to start at 11am tomorrow, but it remains to be seen whether Somerset will have any opportunity to claim those precious final two wickets.