RICHARD Dawson is warning Gloucestershire’s players to look back 12 months if they think qualification for the knock-out stages of the NatWest T20 Blast is close to a formality.

Last season’s Royal London One-Day Cup winners head to Taunton tomorrow night (Friday) for a 20-over shoot-out with arch rivals Somerset, having moved into second place in the South Group with only two defeats in eight games.

But, far from predicting that a sixth win, taking them to 13 points, would virtually guarantee a place in the quarter-finals, Gloucestershire’s head coach insists there is still a lot to be done to secure a top four finish.

Dawson said: “Last year we won seven T20 games and still missed out on the final day of the group campaign, despite having 14 points.

“We certainly don’t view 11 as nearly enough and can’t afford any drop in the standard of our performances, which have been consistently good so far.”

While Gloucestershire have struggled in defence of the Royal London Cup, their 20-over form has shown a marked improvement this season.

The addition of Aussie death bowler Andrew Tye has been significant, but Dawson sees the success in the South Group so far as a real team effort.

He said: “We have had six or seven players making important contributions in most of the games.

“That has been the major difference to our 50-over cricket this summer, in which only one or two have been producing.”

Games between Gloucestershire and Somerset this season have been nail-biting affairs, with both teams winning on home soil.

Somerset won an extraordinary Royal London Cup game at Taunton thanks to a last-wicket stand of 65 between Tim Groenewald and Jamie Overton.

Gloucestershire’s revenge in the NatWest Blast game at Bristol was almost as dramatic, Gareth Roderick hitting the winning boundary off the penultimate ball after 14 had been required from the final over.

“The atmosphere at both games was electric and the teams provided great entertainment,” said Dawson.

“Our players know what to expect from a trip to Taunton and we relish the challenge of facing Somerset.

“Even though Chris Gayle is no longer with them, they have a very strong squad to select from and we will need to be at our best.”

Gloucestershire’s team will be close, if not identical, to the one which beat Sussex at Arundel in their last T20 group match.