IT'S a top-of-the-table clash in Taunton this weekend, as Somerset host Specsavers County Championship leaders Nottinghamshire at the Cooper Associates County Ground from tomorrow (11am start).

The return of four-day cricket sees the hosts look to defend their unbeaten record in the competition, having won two and drawn two in Division 1 so far this season.

Team news

Somerset captain Tom Abell (finger injury), as well as Josh Davey (quad) and Tim Groenewald (groin), are back for the hosts, with the caveat that all three will have late fitness tests.

Top order batsmen George Bartlett and Eddie Byrom return to the 14-man squad after sitting out the Royal London One-Day Cup campaign.

Dom Bess is included following his three-wicket haul for England in their second Test with Pakistan, but fellow spinner Jack Leach, and opener Marcus Trescothick, remain out injured.

There is no place for all-rounder Peter Trego, perhaps harshly given his fine performances with the bat in the One-Day Cup competition, where he hit five half-centuries in eight matches.

Somerset squad: Tom Abell (c), George Bartlett, Dom Bess, Eddie Byrom, Josh Davey, Steve Davies, Lewis Gregory, Tim Groenewald, James Hildreth, Craig Overton, Jamie Overton, Matt Renshaw, Roelof van der Merwe, Paul van Meekeren.​

Notts' squad is still to be named.

Team form

Somerset have been superb in the County Championship up to now, taking 63 points from four matches.

Notts are top with 70 points, but they have played one more game - three wins and two defeats for them so far.

The home side also go into this match off the back of an impressive run chase against Hampshire in the One-Day Cup on Wednesday night, Trego hitting a century and Craig Overton finding the boundary off the final ball to reach 360-7.

Essex's win over Kent meant that Somerset were denied a place in the knockout stages, but their performance at the Ageas Bowl should give the players plenty of confidence.

Notts, for their part, secured a home quarter-final by finishing second in the North Group of the competition, winning five and losing two.

The teams' last County Championship meeting in Taunton came in September 2016, and it was a bittersweet victory for the hosts.

Somerset made 365 in their first innings, as James Hildreth (with a broken ankle) and Chris Rogers both claimed centuries.

The away side were bowled out for 138, as Bess took 5-43, and Rogers hit his second century of the match in Somerset's 313-5 declared.

Jack Leach's 4-69 helped dismiss Notts for 215, giving the hosts victory by 325 runs, but they were denied a maiden County Championship title by Middlesex's win over Yorkshire at Lord's the next day.

What they said

Head coach Jason Kerr said: "We will prepare as we do for every match; focus on ourselves and execute our skills.

"We set ourselves expectations, and it’s not important who we face.

"Dom [Bess] comes back to us full of confidence,” he added.

"He has excelled, and shown his strengths at the highest level.

"The whole club is buoyed by that, as the other guys can see the Somerset pathway offers a route to international honours."

Captain Abell commented: "It’s been a frustrating couple of weeks missing out, but I’m pleased with my progress.

"I hope to be fit and ready for Saturday."

He added: "I couldn’t be happier with how we’ve gone as a team in four-day cricket.

"[Notts] won both white-ball competitions last year and have made a great start this year.

"But we treat it like any other game; it’s a tough competition where anyone can beat anyone.

"They are a really good side, and it’s a great test for us, but we’re confident."