- Somerset have won their last five T20 meetings with Gloucestershire
- Gloucestershire youngster Ben Charlesworth has scored 259 runs off just 158 balls in this season's T20 Blast
- Recommended bet: Somerset to have highest opening partnership at 10/11 with LiveScore Bet

Somerset are hot favourites to complete a T20 Blast double over local rivals Gloucestershire at the County Ground in Taunton and the Cidermen are hard to oppose.

They have won their last five T20 meetings with Gloucestershire and have been playing some terrific cricket in the Blast this summer, triumphing in nine of their first 11 South Group matches.

Gloucestershire's only win in their last five outings came in a rain-shortened fixture against Hampshire and they will need a vastly improved performance if they are to avenge this month's 80-run home defeat to Somerset.

Somerset's New Zealand fast bowler Matt Henry is back in the squad after being rested against Glamorgan on Wednesday.

Jack Brooks drops out, while captain Lewis Gregory, Peter Siddle, Roelof van der Merwe, Lewis Goldsworthy and Sonny Baker are injury absentees for the South Group leaders.

Gloucestershire have named the same team for their last two games against Hampshire and Sussex, but Zaman Akhter, James Bracey and Jack Taylor are options if they want to freshen up the side.

Somerset have won nine of their 11 T20 Blast matches this season and their openers have shared stands of 70, 122, 20, 64 and 40 in their last five games.

Somerset have won their last five T20 meetings with Gloucestershire.

Gloucestershire's only victory in their last five Blast matches came in a rain-reduced clash with Hampshire.

Youngster Ben Charlesworth has scored 259 runs off just 158 balls for Glos this season, while Gloucestershire hit seven sixes to Somerset's 14 in this month's reverse fixture in Bristol.

Somerset's success in the Blast this summer owes much to the fine form of openers Tom Banton and Will Smeed and the hosts look a good bet to have the highest opening partnership against Gloucestershire on Friday.

The Gloucestershire bowlers may not be relishing their rematch with the South Group leaders after Smeed smashed 94 off just 35 balls against them at Bristol's County Ground earlier this month.

The youngster struck eight sixes in an opening stand of 122 off 10 overs and he scored a speedy 66 against Glamorgan on Wednesday, when Somerset chased down a target of 172 for the loss of just two wickets.

In four matches since their home defeat to Somerset, Gloucestershire have had first-wicket partnerships of nought, 18, seven and nine so they may well struggle in the early exchanges at Taunton.

Back Somerset to have highest opening partnership, available at 10/11 with LiveScore Bet