WORCESTERSHIRE are back on the road this week hoping their route will eventually lead to a coveted one-day final at Lord's.

To stand any chance, however, they must overcome holders Somerset in what promises to be an intriguing Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy quarter-final showdown at Taunton on Wednesday.

County skipper Graeme Hick's men sniffed the opportunity of booking a place at Lord's in the Benson and Hedges Cup final.

That dream, however, was shattered when they slumped to a grim 138-run semi-final defeat against Essex at Chelmsford early last month.

It was a crushing reversal which hurt at the time, although lessons were learned and included in the County's next four unbeaten one-day outings was an impressive eight wicket win against Nottinghamshire in the fourth round of the Trophy at Trent Bridge.

It was only their second triumph over a first-class county since winning the competition in 1994. The previous success had been a 43-run victory over Glamorgan at Cardiff in 1996.

Worcestershire will go into this week's clash knowing they have had the measure of Somerset this season in both the Benson and Hedges Cup and Norwich Union League Division One.

Experienced New Road campaigners know full well, however, that what's happened in previous meetings will be irrelevant when they lock horns on Wednesday.

Wicketkeeper Steve Rhodes said: "In all cup games it's a case of one at a time. We've got a big game ahead of us and if we do make it through then great. You take the next hurdle as it comes.

"If you look through Somerset's squad obviously if Andy Caddick is still injured a lot will rely on the shoulders of Marcus Trescothick.

"He would be their talisman as it were and playing at Taunton, particularly at a time of the year when the wicket could be very good, he has the ability to take the game to us. We've got to be ready and aware and have plans to cope with him.

Happy

"But having said that they are not a one-man team. They can play good cricket and they've good players. But we've got to be happy with the way we've been playing, so I think we'll go into the game full of confidence and more than aware we have to make sure we carry on the good work we've been doing to put us in good situations in one-day cricket.

"The semi-final of the Benson and Hedges Cup was a bad memory for us and I think that if we had our time again we would have been a little bit more positive in the batting chasing that sort of score. I just got the impression we possibly had that awkward hour and we were looking to survive instead of taking the game to them.

"There were also some awkward bits about the bowling as well on that day but Essex at Chelmsford are a dangerous outfit. On the day they played very, very well. They never really let us get into the game. It's a memory that we have learned from.

"Having already beaten Somerset this season is a good sign for us and I'm sure they have seen a little bit of the type of powerful cricket we can play in one-day matches.

"If we look at our one-day game I think the thing that has stood out more than anything this year towards helping our success has been the fielding. We saw in our game against Warwickshire in the Norwich Union League recently, where there was a fantastic innings by Shaun Pollock, that if it hadn't been for the way we fielded we could have lost. So if that's the important thing for us we've got to make sure that goes right on Wednesday and obviously that we do the other elements well too."

All-rounder David Leatherdale agrees with Rhodes that previous one-day clashes between the two sides this season will count for nothing on Wednesday against a Somerset side which lifted the Trophy last season by beating Leicestershire by 41 runs.

He said: "They are a quality side. They got to the final and won it last year but they may be without Caddick. Trescothick, though, is a quality player and I think the games they've actually done quite well in have been when he's scored heavily.

"It's a very good wicket down at Taunton. It always has been and you generally get some high scores there.

"We've a good record in one-day cricket this season, but it's very much on the day. You've got to bowl, bat and field well. If you do one badly when you get to the quarter-finals then it's probably not enough, which we proved against Essex. We didn't fulfil the potential we had on the day and they did. We'll have to perform as well as we did earlier this season against Warwickshire in the Norwich Union League and Notts in the Trophy in the last round.

Disappointment

"The Essex defeat was obviously a big disappointment but we are now two games away from a final again. I think we can go one better than we did in the Benson if we carry on the way we have been playing in one-day cricket.

"We've scored heavily, bowled well, fielded well and taken some good catches. That's what we need to do on the day."

The first two quarter-finals will be staged tomorrow when Kent take on Gloucestershire at Canterbury and Essex meet Yorkshire at Chelmsford. As well as the Somerset v Worcestershire clash, the other tie on Wednesday will be Sussex against Surrey at Hove.

n A ladies lunch in aid of former New Road head groundsman Roy McLaren's Testimonial will be held at the County Ground on Tuesday, July 23. The speaker will be well known local pharmasist Dennis Ogle. Tickets and other details from Diane McLaren on 01905-423446.