Finalists for the past three years, Surrey will have to rediscover their best form quickly to make it back to Lord’s in the Royal London One-Day Cup.

Bubbling after their innings victory over Yorkshire last week put them third in the Specsavers County Championship, they made a disastrous start to their 50-over campaign when Somerset inflicted an eight-wicket defeat at the Kia Oval on Friday.

That was followed by Monday’s four-wicket reversal at Hampshire’s Ageas Bowl, leaving little room for manoeuvre in the final six matches, which started with a home tie against Gloucestershire on Wednesday. There is little respite between matches as they face Essex at Chelmsford this Sunday and then Sussex back at The Oval two days later.

Surrey head coach Michael Di Venuto admitted: “It’s not unusual for us to start slowly in this competition. The last few years we have managed to scrap our way into the play-offs, where we have played our best cricket.

“But we can’t continue to lose, so we need to start pulling out our A-game.”

Much to the disappointment of some 5,000 youngsters who arrived at the Oval on Friday for Surrey’s annual Schools Day, the clash with Somerset was over almost before it began.

The hosts were sunk for 129 in just 35.2 overs and it could have been even worse but for Sam Curran’s fighting 30 and some resistance from the tail. Craig Overton, who found the going hard for England on last winter’s Ashes tour, found life far more amenable as he picked up 4-27.

To prove there were no demons in the pitch, Somerset knocked off the runs in 21.3 overs, Johann Myburgh leading the way with an unbeaten 75.

Three days later at the Ageas Bowl, Surrey had South African opener Dean Elgar’s 91 to thank for their early progress, aided by youngster Will Jacks (28) and captain Rory Burns (46). But following a rain delay which chopped six overs off their innings, they needed Scott Borthwick (46no) and Rikki Clarke (22) to make a late charge to reach 262-7 in 44 overs.

A further interruption left Hampshire’s target revised to 227 from 34 and once Rilee Rossouw had made a devastating assault at the start, smashing 11 fours and two sixes in his 68-ball 90, it was going to need a remarkable change of fortunes to save the visitors.

Clarke did his best with a four-wicket burst, but Joe Weatherley (46no) and Lewis McManus (22no) added an unbroken 36 in five overs to end the game with seven balls to spare.

Surrey will be hoping they are still in contention for a place in the knockout stages when Elgar is replaced by India captain Virat Kohli next month. His first appearance is due to come against Kent at Beckenham on Friday, June 1. His schedule includes RLODC games with Middlesex at Lord’s (June 3) and Glamorgan under lights at The Oval on June 6.

Such is Kohli’s impact that spectators who intend to watch Surrey’s County Championship clash with Somerset at the Guildford Festival on June 20-23 are being encouraged to book their tickets in advance through the club’s website at www.kiaoval.com.