Somerset started the season as many people's favourites for the County Championship title,[1] and many praised the signings of Gemaal Hussain, Steve Kirby, Ajantha Mendis and George Dockrell.

[2][3] Both Hussain and Kirby signed from Gloucestershire to replace the loss of Ben Phillips to Nottinghamshire, Mark Turner to Derbyshire and Zander de Bruyn to Surrey with Michael Munday, Robin Lett and David Stiff were all released.

[5] As well as these new players Alex Barrow, Calum Haggett and Craig Meschede were promoted from the club's academy and all featured in the first team as well as other débutants Adam Dibble and Lewis Gregory.

By finishing as runners-up in the 2010 Friends Provident t20, Somerset should have qualified for the 2010 Champions League Twenty20 but no English county sides were allowed to take part due to a clash with the end of the domestic season.

[65] Note: Pld = Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, NR = No result, Pts = Points, NRR = Net run rate.

Somerset were drawn away at Trent Bridge against Nottinghamshire in the quarter-finals, Notts won the toss and elected to bat and scored an impressive total of 170 with Alex Hales top scoring with 78, Somerset started their innings slowly and it seemed they wouldn't get anywhere near their target and needed 64 off the final 31 deliveries but with Kieron Pollard and Jos Buttler at the crease they crossed the line with five balls remaining.

[84] That victory meant a third successive finals day and a rematch with Hampshire yet again and with bad weather looming Somerset won the toss and elected to field first hoping to take advantage of batting second with the Duckworth–Lewis method.

[82] West Indies star Kieron Pollard returned as an overseas player but missed the first half of the Twenty20 campaign and was replaced by South African all-rounder Roelof van der Merwe.

[5] Note: Pld = Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, NR = No result, Adj = Adjustments/Penalties, Pts = Points, NRR = Net run rate.

[122] On the third morning, Suresh Raina controlled the strike well to bat his way to a century and stake his claim for a place in first Test, dominating a final wicket partnership of 84.

Somerset once more look assured with the bat during their second innings, in which Strauss reached a century, eventually finishing 109 not out, and Peter Trego scored a rapid 85 runs from 57 balls.