KEVIN Sharp says Worcestershire’s players will learn the lessons of the opening defeat to Hampshire as they gear up for Somerset at Taunton from Friday (11am).

Head coach Sharp has named the same 13-strong squad from the 196-run loss in County Championship Division One.

He said: “Obviously it is disappointing to lose.

"It’s never a nice feeling and it’s not what you want to do but I will say the lads prepared brilliantly every morning and were well prepared to play even in the light of the fact we haven’t had much cricket this last three weeks.

“We competed for a lot of the game, were a bit below-par for some of it and showed some resilience at times when it looked as though we may get played out of it. We kept bouncing back and that was a really pleasing thing.

“We were right in the game up to the last morning where unfortunately we lost four or five wickets very quickly and the game was over quite quickly. That’s what can happen.

"The pitch got quicker as the game went on and it seamed throughout so there was always a wicket-taking delivery in it. It was hard work for the batters all the way through.

“There were a couple of things we will really learn from. There was one point where we got back in it from a batting perspective.

“We made 200-7 (in reply to 290) and it looked as though we might nearly get up to their score. But they set the short-ball trap and we fell into it a bit which was a little naive from our perspective.

“But the lads know that and when that happens again they will have had the experience of knowing how to deal with it in a way that doesn’t cost us two or three wickets very quickly at the end of the innings.”

On the Somerset fixture, Sharp added: “They are all challenges. There are some good teams and the lads are really up for the competition that is coming.

“We also know they will be a good side and if we play to the best of our ability we have every chance of winning.”

Worcestershire: Mitchell, D’Oliveira, Fell, Clarke, Head, Rhodes, Cox, Barnard, Leach, Magoffin, Tongue, Twohig, Morris.