Home advantage at the Oval has persuaded bookmakers William Hill to mark Surrey as second-favourites for the 60-overs crown behind Lancashire, though the chances of all-rounder Chris Lewis returning from injury were regarded by the club yesterday as doubtful.

Top of the Sunday League and a strong third in the championship, Surrey have emerged as unlikely treble-chasers, dark horses on the rail to rival Yorkshire, and the return of Alec Stewart and Graham Thorpe from England duty must enhance their prospects today.

Somerset travel fresh from a double weekend victory over Yorkshire, they beat Surrey in the Sunday League in May and have Shane Lee in fine form with the bat. Only their tendency to ``freeze'' - with three semi-final and three quarter-final defeats in the two knockout competitions in the past six years weighs against them.

Yorkshire travelled down to Sussex yesterday pondering their failure against Somerset and their captain, David Byas, said: ``These setbacks can do us good. We now know there is no room for complacency.'' It is 33 years since Yorkshire played at Hove in this competition. They lost and Ted Dexter's Sussex went on to win the inaugural trophy.

John Stephenson leads his Hampshire side against Essex, his former county, at Southampton against the background of their two extraordinary previous 60-over meetings. Hampshire lost at Southampton in 1985, scores level, by losing more wickets, and in 1990 the same happened at Chelmsford, with Essex losing as the home side, scores level.

Lancashire, hoping to add a second trophy to the Benson and Hedges Cup, face dangerous opponents in Derbyshire at Old Trafford. Recent form points to Derbyshire, who won their championship and Sunday games in style there last week.

* Mike Gatting, Middlesex's captain, is to have a knee operation and could be out for a month.