One competition does not make a season, but results in the Twenty20 Premier Division have given Somerset Cricket Club plenty to build on for the future, all while continuing their surprise title tilt.

Kamau Leverock’s explosive batting at the top of the order has brought him knocks of 126 and 119, giving the left-hander a total of 438 runs in the competition, more than twice as many as next high batsman, Treadwell Gibbons of St George’s with 230 runs.

Somerset, just promoted to the Premier Division, are the in-form team in the division, just ten points behind joint leaders Southampton Rangers and St David’s and with two matches to play.

Somerset meet Willow Cuts tomorrow at Somerset before taking on St George’s in their final match next weekend. A win over Cuts could see Somerset moving into a three-way tie for first, depending on the result of the other match at Lord’s where St David’s host Eastern Counties rivals, Bailey’s Bay.

Somerset kept the race open with victory over Rangers in a rain-affected match last weekend at White Hill Field.

“It’s kind of bitter sweet because halfway through the season we weren’t sure if we were going to have a season and then all of a sudden it’s T20 and I have an extremely young team,” said Jeff Richardson, the Somerset coach.

“Sometimes I have to put my natural instincts aside because, while I thought I would have been a good T20 player, that’s not the format that you want to develop players.

“There are certain players in my team who are excelling in that format and others who are struggling somewhat.”

Richardson revealed he never played in that format himself, so relies on the experience Leverock, captain Jordan DeSilva and Chris Douglas to help the youngsters.

“I’m quietly optimistic about the future of Somerset’s cricket team,” he added.

“In order for me to be happy I needed to get two or three senior players from outside Somerset to help bring them forward.

“For the most part the introduction of Chris and Kamau has done that.

“If this season is a preview of what’s to come next year then I’m very optimistic on Somerset Cricket Club becoming a force in the Premier Division.”

The two Premier Division matches will start at 3pm and will be preceded by First Divison semi-final matches between leaders Warwick and Western Stars at Somerset and Flatts and the Bermuda Under-19s at Lord’s.