Somerset aim to flex Championship muscle against holders Surrey

Two wins in Division One and passage to the Royal London One-Day Cup final has represented a fine start to the season for the Taunton county

Somerset’s credentials as prospective challengers for a first ever Specsavers County Championship title will be put to the test over the next four days at Taunton.

The visitors face reigning champions Surrey, who dominated the two four-day games between the clubs last summer and consigned the cider county to finishing runners-up for the fifth time in 19 years.

Somerset lead the First Division table, having won their first two games, in addition to reaching the final of the Royal London One-Day Cup.

But head coach Jason Kerr admits that facing Surrey, who drew their opening fixture, in red-ball cricket will offer the biggest challenge to date.

“Surrey are a formidable four-day side and the match should give us a great indication of where we are as a team,” he said.

“The players have been fantastic so far this season and reaching Lord’s in the Royal London Cup has the club buzzing.

“But we are well aware that the Championship title is the one our members prize most and the next few days will be fascinating from that perspective.

“We couldn’t have hoped for a better start and now it is important we maintain standards or even improve if we can.”

Surrey thrashed Somerset by an innings and 69 runs at Guildford last season and were well on top again when an overnight storm lifted the covers at Taunton, forcing the abandonment of the return game on the final morning.

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In a bid for revenge, Somerset are likely to revert to the players who began the four-day campaign with victories over Kent and Nottinghamshire.

That would mean returns to the side for Marcus Trescothick, Steve Davies and Jack Brooks, who were not selected for the Royal London Cup.

Meanwhile, Somerset fast bowler Jamie Overton has joined Northamptonshire on a one-month loan.

The arrangement will run from Tuesday until June 13 and means that Overton will be available for Northants’ Championship Second Division matches against Lancashire, Sussex, Glamorgan and Durham.

However, he will be available for Somerset’s Royal London One-Day Cup final against Hampshire at Lord’s on May 25.

Somerset Director of Cricket Andy Hurry said: “Since working his way back from an early season injury, Jamie successfully returned to first team action in the Royal London Cup.

“We’ve made an impressive start to this year’s County Championship, and whilst Jamie is certainly in contention for selection, we can’t guarantee him a starting place at present.

“Therefore, we feel that both he and the club would benefit from him playing competitive red-ball cricket.

“The terms of this loan agreement will enable Jamie to be available for selection for the Royal London One-Day Cup final and return to Somerset if we incur an injury to one of our seamers.”

Courtesy of the ECB reporters network

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