Somerset find themselves staring relegation in the face in the NUL following their controversial defeat last week, and face a vitally important match this weekend.

On Sunday they entertain Worcestershire at the County Ground in what will be a rehearsal for the Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy quarter-final match later in the month.

The black pear county are enjoying a run of good form in one-day cricket and are currently in second place in the table. The Sabres will be looking to make amends for the NUL defeat they suffered when the two sides met at New Road in May and for the Benson and Hedges defeat at Taunton a fortnight earlier.

Sunday will also be a big day for Somerset's popular wicket-keeper Rob Turner, who was born at Malvern, who has nominated this to be his benefit match.

Somerset will go into the match without the services of their main strike bowler Richard Johnson, who is still recovering from a hamstring injury. Their bowling resources were even further depleted yesterday when Simon Francis, who gave his best display of the season against Surrey broke a finger, and will be sidelined for the next few weeks.

Initially it had been hoped that Jamie Cox might have recovered from his broken thumb to face the Worcester Royals, but this now seems unlikely, and his return all being well will now be in the match against Yorkshire at Scarborough on Wednesday.

The Somerset team will be: Matthew Wood, Piran Holloway, Mike Burns, Peter Bowler, Keith Parsons, Ian Blackwell, Rob Turner, Keith Dutch, Graham Rose, Matthew Bulbeck and Steffan Jones.

Somerset coach Kevin Shine told me: "This is an important match for us, and after last week's disappointments we will be looking for a result on Sunday."

© SOMERSET