The Somerset players are in no doubt about how important the Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy semi final match against Kent at the County Ground is to them.

Success will ensure that they have a Lord's final to look forward to at the end of August. If they fail however, they will spend the rest of their season trying to rescue themselves from the relegation that threatens them in both the county championship and the NUL National League.

Skipper Jamie Cox told me: "This is a game that we just have to win. We have done well in the C and G this season and will expect to beat Kent. I have never lost a semi final in this competition in the time that I have been at the club, and we have got a good record against Kent, having beaten them twice in similar situations."

Last year in the semi final of the competition Somerset squeezed home against Warwickshire thanks to an heroic partnership between wicket-keeper Rob Turner and Keith Dutch, who rescued the Cidermen when all seemed lost.

All rounder Dutch told me: "The match against Kent brings back good memories from last year for me and the rest of the team. The C and G is the one competition that we seem to be doing well in this season, so we will be looking to go one step further and get back to Lord's for another memorable day."

Big hitting Ian Blackwell told me: "We are all looking forward to the match against Kent. This is a really big game for us and we will be going out there to win and have a Lord's final and another day to remember."

Welshman Steffan Jones who will no doubt be bowling `at the death' of the Kent innings told me: "This is a big day for everyone, the club and the players and a chance to enjoy some success after we have struggled in the other competitions nthis season. We haven't lost a semi with Jamie and we are feeling confident even though we wont be at full strength."

Richard Johnson, who is one of the players who will have a late fitness test in the morning told me: "Of course I hope to be playing, and I am quietly confident that I will be out there.I wanted to play in the quarter finals but I wasn't quite fit. Hopefully the two weeks since will have worked in my favour, and I'll be in the start line up."

The Somerset coach Kevin Shine who will delay his final selection until the morning told me: "This is the biggest game of the year so far for us, and we will be looking to retain the trophy that we won at Lord's last year."

Chief Executive Peter Anderson who was outside on the ground helping to put 1000 additional chairs round the boundary edge told me: "I cannot stress the importance to everybody to come to the match early. The gates will be open at 8.30 am."

He concluded: "In the quarter final people who arrived 30 minutes before the start complained that they had to queue to get into the ground. This is the semi final and it is a sell out so people really do need to get here early."

© SOMERSET