GLOUCESTERSHIRE travel to face arch-rivals Somerset at Taunton tonight boasting the joint leading run-maker and wicket-taker in the NatWest T20 blast.

Although Michael Klinger’s great run in South Group matches came to an end when he made only two against Surrey yesterday, the score drew him level with Kent’s Sam Northeast on 520 runs in this season’s competition.

Klinger has the better average by far at 130, having been dismissed only four times in his eight innings. While his exploits have received widespread media coverage, the contributions of Gloucestershire’s best T20 bowler have gone relatively unnoticed.

Tom Smith’s two for 24 against Surrey took the left-arm spinner's wicket tally in the South Group to 20, a figure matched only by Essex seamer Shaun Tait.

Again Smith has the far better average (11.55 to Tait’s 18.15) and a better economy rate at 7.21, having played in two less matches than the Australian.

His best figures of five for 39 against Essex at Bristol included a hat-trick and he has failed to take a wicket only once in nine appearances, having missed Gloucestershire’s opening group match against his old club Middlesex at Bristol.

Smith said: “I have really enjoyed the challenge of T20 bowling this season and I’m delighted to have performed so consistently.”

Despite the efforts of Klinger and Smith, Gloucestershire are in grave danger of failing to reach the knock-out stages and desperately need two points against Somerset.

Skipper Klinger admits: “We have played some very good cricket at times, but need more players to come to the fore.

“We have come out on the wrong side of some very close games. A lot of our young players are still learning about the pressures of T20 cricket.”

Those young players include 20-year-old Craig Miles, who conceded a six off the final ball of the match against Surrey yesterday to see victory snatched from Gloucestershire’s grasp.

Klinger was quick to leap to Miles’ defence. “Craig bowled exactly the ball we had planned and all credit to Azhar Mahmood for clearing the rope,” he said.

“Due to injuries, we had three bowlers operating at the death who had not done so before and they produced a pretty good effort.

“We always look forward to playing Somerset because there is a great atmosphere whichever ground the match is played on.”

Gloucestershire will again be depleted in the seam bowling department, with Matt Taylor, David Payne and James Fuller all having treatment on injuries.