SOMERSET’S supporters are beginning to look forward to the return of the the county championship - the blue riband competition of the domestic programme.

Played in whites with a red ball, the game that is part and parcel of the lives of lovers of the summer game is a far cry from The Hundred, which has been screened free to air on our televisions - in fact it’s dominated the scene to the exclusion of all else- which is a good thing if it really is attracting a new audience.

Between now and the end of the season Somerset have got six Division One Championship matches remaining - three of which are at home- 12 more days of red ball cricket.

Before then, however. just what might the business end of the red ball season hold for Lewis Gregory and his team. After eight games of which Somerset have triumphed in three the Cidermen sit second in the table with 111 points, five behind leaders Nottinghamshire who have won the same number of games but lost one fewer- so it’s all to play for in the remaining part of the campaign.

Somerset start the second part of the county championship season- the one trophy they have never won, with a home game against Essex, who are currently sixth starting, on Thursday, 20th August, after which they travel to the south coast to take on Sussex, who are fifth. They then return to host Glamorgan (currently fourth) starting on Wednesday, 2nd September (10.30 start), before travelling away to play Leicestershire starting 8th September and Yorkshire away beginning on 15th September.

Somerset bring the curtain down on their season with a home match against Surrey starting on 24th September at the end of which will be celebrating or reflecting on what might have been.