Somerset target immediate return after India experience

Somerset head coach Andy Hurry saw his side thrashed by New South Wales, but immediately targeted a return to the Champions League next year.

The Australians breezed past the Sabres' target of 112 with more than eight overs to spare in Hyderabad to knock Hurry's men out of the competition.

Hurry said: "Being a part of this competition has only whetted our appetites more to be involved again.

"Our hosts have looked after us superbly and the Indians are cricket fanatics who have made us feel extremely welcome. It's been a privilege to be part of this worldwide event and we pray we can continue to be involved next year."

"I have learned a lot about my players and we must ensure we work towards being competitive at this level."

Somerset will have to reach the final of the English Twenty20 competition to qualify and the 2010 Champions League is due to be played in England so Marcus Trescothick should be able to play in it.

The Sabres badly missed their star opener in the second stage of the competion, after he returned home with a recurrence of his stress-related condition.

Seamer Ben Phillips admitted: "We have struggled the whole tournament and we haven't got a decent score to defend. We have missed Marcus, who is a world-class player.

"The competition has been very strong – there are no weak sides. Coming into the tournament we thought our batting was our strength but that hasn't been the case.

"It has been a real eye opener for all of us in terms of the rewards and the levels of play so we will go back and try to develop our one-day cricket."

Meanwhile, departing skipper Justin Langer admitted he was retiring at the right time after his career came to an end yesterday.

The Australian began his first-class career in 1991 and played 105 Test matches. Yesterday he scored five from 11 balls against New South Wales in Hyderabad in a sadly familiar struggle.

Langer said of his retirement: "It is a bit sad, but I have played for a long time now and in my heart of hearts I know it is time to finish. It is nice to finish off in India playing in the toughest conditions I have played in.

"We have been outplayed for a lot of the tournament and it is really disappointing for our fans back home and it is disappointing for the team.

"It has been a real eye-opener for some of our guys and a very good learning experience.

"We were up against a world-class bowling attack. Brett Lee is bowling as well as ever and he looks like an Olympian – he is that fit.

"It has been such a wonderful opportunity for some of our guys to be out here playing against world-class opposition."

Langer opened the batting but managed just one boundary – off a Doug Bollinger free hit. The 38-year-old saw Craig Kieswetter hole out off Stuart Clark for 13 and then did likewise himself two balls later, caught at deep mid-wicket.

Zander de Bruyn was Somerset's top scorer with 23, while Wes Durston was inexplicably demoted from number seven to eight despite top-scoring in the previous game. His 20 not out from 13 balls was too little too late. In reply Somerset's score was put into context by Australia one-day opener David Warner, who crushed 40 from 16 deliveries.

Belated use of the lifter from the Sabres' seamers led to a flurry of wickets – de Bruyn claimed two in two – but NSW were never under pressure and got home with 49 balls to spare.