SUSSEX Sharks travel to Taunton on Wednesday night in search of their second victory in this year’s T20 Blast against high-flying Somerset.

Sussex sit in seventh place after losing their first two matches against Glamorgan and Gloucestershire but got their campaign up and running with a four-run victory over Kent Spitfires at the 1st Central County Ground last time out.  

However, the Sharks will face an uphill battle to secure consecutive victories, as opponents Somerset are currently sitting top of the T20 Blast South Group with three wins from three.  

Pakistan international Mohammad Rizwan has been a revelation since joining Sussex but he has headed back to Pakistan for an ODI series and will miss the match.

New signing Obed McCoy replaces Rizwan in the squad and is in line to make his debut for the Sharks following a successful IPL tournament with the Rajasthan Royals.

Rilee Rossouw has been the star of the show for Somerset this campaign, scoring 81 in the first match against Kent and then 67 against Essex. The former South Africa international scores extremely quickly. Rossouw’s 67 came from just 29 balls, dismantling the Eagles bowling attack. 

Fellow South African Marchant de Lange is Somerset’s key weapon with the ball, having taken 150 wickets in 134 games in his T20 career. The bowler took four wickets for nine runs from his three overs in the win over Essex. 

Despite a disappointing start to the tournament, Tom Banton is the danger man for Somerset, as he can easily take games away from the other team with his powerful hitting.  

The England international has not scored more than 20 this campaign but has played in multiple franchise tournaments and has a strike rate of 147.96 in international T20’s, with a high score of 73.  

Bopara's side will rely on their England international Tymal Mills to lead the bowling attack and take the key wickets of Banton and Rossouw. 

Both sides qualified for the quarter finals last year with Somerset finishing second, one point and one place above the Sharks. Sussex lost in the semi-final to Kent, who beat Somerset in the final by 25 runs.  

Former Sharks captain Luke Wright was back to his best in the victory against the Spitfires, scoring 43 before hitting a full toss straight to the fielder on the boundary and with Rizwan provides a dangerous opening partnership.