Somerset coach Kerr targeting revenge against the Steelbacks

Head coach Jason Kerr says Somerset are out 'looking for revenge' when they take on the Steelbacks at Taunton on Friday evening - and keep alive their quarter-final qualification hopes alive in the process.
Somerset head coach Jason KerrSomerset head coach Jason Kerr
Somerset head coach Jason Kerr

The west country outfit were beaten by nine runs in the first meeting between the sides at the County Ground at the end of last month, and Kerr believes it was a game his team should have won.

Chasing the Steelbacks' 171 for six, Somerset came up just short at 162 for eight as their batters struggled to fire, and Kerr is determined to set the record straight this weekend.

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Somerset were big 66-run winners over Glamorgan on Wednesday night, with Babar Azam hitting a superb 114 not out from just 62 balls.

Having struggled at the start of the competition, the win lifted them up to seven points, just two behind the Steelbacks, and they believe if they can see off Northants and then leaders Gloucestershire in their final two games they stand a great chance of qualifying for the last eight.

Ahead of the showdown with the Steelbacks, Kerr said: “It’s another must-win game for us.

"We haven’t played to our best in this competition, but the performance against Glamorgan this week was exceptional and that will give us some confidence going in to Friday’s game against Northants.

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“They beat us in the opening match, but that’s a game we feel we should have won.

"Northants are a strong side, they’re well organised and know how to perform in this format, but we’ll be looking for revenge on Friday.

“Apart from Gloucestershire, all the teams in the group have been beating each other.

"So we know what we have to do and that’s claim two points on Friday night and then do the same at Bristol on Sunday.”

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Azam missed the first game against Northants as he was still with the Pakistan ODI team that was taking on England, but he is available for Friday night's encounter.

The Somerset squad to face the Steelbacks also includes England men Lewis Gregory, Craig Overton and Dom Bess, who has yet to feature in the T20 this season.

Somerset squad: Lewis Gregory, Tom Abell, Babar Azam, George Bartlett, Dom Bess, Josh Davey, Steve Davies, Lewis Goldsworthy, Ben Green, Tom Lammonby, Craig Overton, Ollie Sale, Will Smeed, Roelof van der Merwe, Max Waller