Somerset CCC are seeing a lot of their closest rivals Surrey this week and it will be an interesting scenario to see who comes out on top in the red ball and white ball games.

The County Championship game will give both sets of players and supporters the opportunity to see which of the two best red ball sides in the country has made the most progress this season and I believe, without any international call ups, which is strange in itself (have the selectors taken a look at Tom Abell and Tom Banton this season? I suggest not), that Somerset are now closer to Surrey in terms of genuine talent and the results in the main have proved to be the case.

Having watched how reckless Dan Lawrence got out against Sri Lanka when opening the innings, you have to wonder why Abell and a resurgent Banton were overlooked. Somerset member Gilbert Wall is of the opinion it is because neither play for Surrey.

Having watched both Abell and Banton on numerous occasions this season, both get their left foot to the ball, stay well balanced to ease the ball in both forms of cricket through the leg and off side fields, whereas Lawrence, who is a fine player but not an opener, flays away at the ball outside of the off stump, gets caught at the wicket without getting in line of a ball pitched on or just outside of the off stump.

You can get away with it in the white ball game, but if you are unsuccessful against Sri Lanka, then there is little or no hope against either India or Australia.

The Surrey fixture and the result could depend on how well an in-form Jack Leach bowls and, if Somerset bowl in the fourth innings of the game, Leach’s input could make all the difference to the result if Somerset bat well. All this, of course, at the back end of the season where the weather could play its part.

It’s T20 Blast finals day on Saturday with Somerset hoping to retain their trophy, but first of all they have to overcome Surrey in the first semi-final.

Both Gilbert Wall and Gerry Wilson, two outstanding former players, believe Surrey will win the competition and also expect Sussex to overcome Gloucestershire in the second semi-final.

Both former players believe Somerset might struggle without a good death bowler now that Riley Meredith has joined up with his Australian test team, and they might also just struggle at the top of the order.

I am going to stick with Somerset on the basis that everyone has the ability to win any game, they are a well balanced unit and have played a lot together in recent times, so if one person fails, there are ten others good enough to pick up the pieces.

Whatever the outcome, it’s going to be a fascinating and exciting day of cricket at Edgbaston.