Somerset are bidding to win the Pro40 League this season and ensure the 40-over game is not scrapped.

The County Championship and the Twenty20 competition will continue in 2010 but either the 50-over Friends Provident Trophy or the 40-over league will be culled.

Somerset will argue strongly for the latter to be saved when it is discussed at an England and Wales cricket Board meeting next week.

"We want the 40-over competition," said chief executive Richard Gould. "England want the 50-over format and the counties are split over it.

"England want it because they believe they need it to be successful internationally but sadly that has not proved to be the case over recent years,

"Our average paying attendance (discounting members) for 50-over games is 220 while for the 40-overs it is 2,300. Our two home games this season in the Pro40 have attracted more than 5,000 each. It is not the case of the counties being greedy but it is us wanting to play a game that is well-supported at domestic level."

Somerset CCC lead the Pro40 Division One table with four games to go. The last – and only – time they won the Sunday League was in 1979.

Meanwhile, Gould admits the flat nature of county pitches is a concern across the country.

While Taunton is a perfect venue for a one-day game, County Championship matches are almost certain draws.

The third of three heavy rain storms ended play at Taunton in the Championship game with Sussex at 3.30pm yesterday.

For some it was a merciful relief as a total of 906 runs have been scored for the loss of just five wickets.

Somerset CCC had added 38 runs in the 19 overs possible on day three to reach 164-0 in reply to the visitors' 742-5 declared.

A total of 116 wickets have been taken in five first-class games this year – an average of just 21 per game.

Based on those statistics, skipper Justin Langer rightly described the county's one home win, over Yorkshire, as a "miracle".

Gould admitted: "It is an issue for the England and Wales Cricket Board. When you look at yesterday's play (day two when Sussex added 416 runs for the loss of just two wickets) it isn't entertainment.

"Our pitches and Surrey's are described as good pitches and are given good marks but maybe we have to look at how we define a good pitch."

For the first time since 1996, Somerset dug up one of their pitches last winter and hope to use it for the first time towards the end of next season.

They will dig up another this winter and continue the process with the long-term aim of having five new pitches that offer a fairer contest between bat and ball by around 2015.

The top inch of the square was removed two years ago to little effect so groundsman Phil Frost will also continue to experiment with different mixes of loams for the top dressing.

Marcus Trescothick has enjoyed the County Ground more than anyone this year and in his current innings of 71 not out he has passed his previous best run total for a season.

In the promotion-winning campaign of 2007, the left-hander made 1,343 but now he is on 1,401 with power to add. The completion of his seventh hundred of the year later today seems as much a formality as the handshakes at 4.50pm for the draw.

Fellow opener Arul Suppiah is on course to reach 1,000 in a season for the first time. His 80 not out leaves him on 818 thus far.

Somerset seamer Steffan Jones is to have his loan with second division Derbyshire extended until the end of the season as he tries to help his old county win promotion. Jones can be recalled if Somerset are struck down by a spate of injuries. Meanwhile, Gould will miss the end of the season and the Champions League trip as he is to go on an Advanced Management Programme course at Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts.