Somerset hope for Taunton record

TWENTY20 CUP, MID/WEST/WALES DIVISION, Taunton:
Somerset v Gloucestershire (Friday, 29 May; 1730 BST)
Coverage: Live commentary on BBC Somerset (1566 MW), BBC Radio Bristol (1548 MW) & the BBC Sport website

Somerset's Zander de Bruyn is the tournament's leading run scorer

Somerset are hoping to set a new attendance record at Taunton for Friday's Twenty20 Cup match against west country rivals Gloucestershire.

The present record stands at 7,287 for the match against Australia in 2005, but Somerset are eyeing the 8,000 mark.

The hosts, who are unbeaten in their opening two matches, could bring in Ben Phillips, who was ill last time out.

Gloucestershire have failed to pick up a point in the tournament yet but are unlikely to make any changes.

Somerset skipper Justin Langer told BBC Somerset:

"We've had close wins and shown good character.

"There's a lot more rivalry to the Gloucestershire game for a lot of other people in Somerset than me, but it's a good rivalry, there'll be good noise in the crowd and I'm looking forward to it."

Somerset's Zander de Bruyn told BBC Somerset:

"It's a big game, we've got momentum and we want to keep playing well."

Gloucestershire coach John Bracewell told BBC Radio Bristol:

"Our batters panicked in the first game in a situation where they're usually calm and that was out of character. The second game was about the wicket and we just got nibbled out

"You can get anything from 180 to probably 220 at Taunton and I don't think our batters are out of form, we're just a little behind on the momentum at the moment. In Twenty20 sometimes it's about gaining the upperhand early."