Cidermen action in Twenty20 starting to hot up

Action in cricket's newest competition the Twenty20 Cup is hotting up and Somerset face two matches in the space of just twenty four hours when they travel to Northants this evening and then return to the County Ground in Taunton tomorrow lunchtime when they entertain the `old enemy' Gloucestershire in a match that gets underway at 12.35pm.

The match is being televised on Sky TV but despite this the club are expecting a large crowd to go along and enjoy the excitement.

Somerset boss Peter Anderson said: "Because the game is being televised there will be no parking inside the ground so our advice is to get to the County Ground early to avoid any disappointment."

Entry to the Twenty20 Cup match is free to all members, whilst for non-members it will cost £6 for adults and £3 for under 16's.

Before the action gets underway out in the middle tomorrow the Junior Sabres Bash is taking place starting at 10.00am and this years event is expected to be the biggest and the best ever.

Already nearly 150 junior members have signed up for the morning during which they will be able to take part in a range of activities including bowling at a player, the Coca-Cola football game, the ECB Roadshow and of course the chance to meet `Stumpy' the Junior Sabres mascot who is making a special guest appearance.

Entrance to the `Bash' is free for members, whilst non-members can join in with the fun for the price of just £1.

There was mixed news earlier this week regarding the club's injured fast bowlers.

"There is good news about Nixon McLean who we expect to be fit to play in the championship match against Yorkshire. Andrew Caddick should be ready to play again by the middle to the end of July, whilst his England colleague Richard Johnson has had a further scan on his injured knee that shows that there is no more damage. He now has to declare himself fit by Sunday or else he will be out of the one day squad," Mr Anderson said.

However regarding the young left arm seamer Matt Bulbeck he said: "Matt will not bowl again this year and the key issue is whether he will be fit to play again by April next year and earlier this week I sat down with him to discuss what he is going to do."