SOMERSET supporters gathered in large numbers to welcome their T20 winning heroes back to the Cooper Associates County Ground. The free event on Monday organised by the club saw the 2000 tickets that were available snapped up in no time.

During the event the players, who earlier had mingled among the Somersetfans and signed autographs and posed for selfies, were cheered onto the stage.

Pete Trego, who hosted the evening, interviewed the T20 captain Lewis Gregory and Tom Abell who stepped into the role when Lewis was unavailable.

The following day Somerset were in championship action against top team Surrey who bowled the hosts out for 170 after they had chosen to bat first.

The match against Surrey is the last championship match at Taunton before the start of The 100 competition.

The Cidermen’s next championship match at Taunton, which is also their last home game of the season, is against Kent starting on September 19 - which is a long time ahead- that's a span of 52 days.

Between then and now Somerset will be taking part in the One Day Metro Bank Cup, a 50 over competition in which there are four home games and four away games with a final being played at Trent Bridge, Nottingham.

Unfortunately, Somerset will be losing many of their regular players to The 100 including Lewis Gregory, Craig Overton, Roelof van der Merwe, Tom Abell, Tom Lammonby, Tom Kohler Cadmore, Will Smeed, and Tom Banton.

Somerset start their 50 over campaign with a home game against Warwickshire on Friday, August 4, starting at 2pm, followed two days later by a match against Worcestershire on August 6 beginning at 11am.

Before then Somerset play two 50 over matches against National County teams - starting with Devon at Bovey Tracey on Sunday (11am) followed on Tuesday by a match at Truro against Cornwall which also starts at 11am.