SOMERSET director of cricket Matt Maynard believes his side’s NatWest T20 campaign has been a vast improvement on the previous two seasons’, despite their quarter-final qualification hopes not being in their own hands.

Two home defeats at the weekend – to Kent and Glamorgan – pushed Somerset out of the top four in the South Group, meaning they must now win at Hampshire tomorrow (7pm start) and hope other results go their way.

Regardless of whether they make the last eight or not, Maynard is happy with the T20 progress made this season.

“We’ve done a lot of things better,” he said.

“Where we’ve failed has been in not getting enough batters to a 60 or 70-plus score.

“I’m very happy with our bowling, fielding and the attitude of the players.”

He added: “It’s been a far better T20 for us than the last two years’, with new talent showing and some experimentation.

“Lewis [Gregory] has excelled since moving to the top of the order, as have Craig Overton and the spinners.

“There’s real optimism for our future in T20 cricket, which we may not have been able to say in the last two seasons.”

The turning point in the Glamorgan match – and potentially Somerset’s T20 campaign – was the 18th over of the hosts’ innings, with 21 more runs needed to win.

Up stepped Marchant de Lange, who ran out Jim Allenby and then dismissed Johann Myburgh (who had blitzed his way to 87) with a superb yorker in the same over.

“That over was the game-changer,” says Maynard.

“It made it very tough for us then, but those small margins in games are why we’re all involved in this sport.”

Results today may yet see Somerset’s hopes ended ahead of the Hampshire match, but Maynard still expects a good performance.

“They’re professional sportsmen who aim to win every match, and there’s a lot to play for [regardless of the outcome of the other matches] – pride, and representing your county.

“The surface at Hampshire gives us the opportunity to play a third spinner, but we’ll pick a strong 15-man squad and see on the day.”

Whether they make the T20 knockout stages or not, Somerset have plenty of preparation time ahead of their return to County Championship action, against Essex (away) from Monday, August 28.

Somerset will not have the services of Fakhar Zaman, as the prospective overseas signing has been recalled by the Pakistan Cricket Board.

Maynard said on Saturday that “I think I’ve found a replacement... who can slot into the top order”, but the club are not yet in a position to confirm a signing.