Several of Somerset’s young players will be heading overseas this winter to gain valuable experience of playing in different conditions.

We met up with Somerset Batting and Assistant Coach, Shane Burger to discuss the importance of overseas cricket.

“The journey for a young cricketer within the Somerset Pathway is always exciting and it’s something that the Club does really well,” he said. “This enables the players to make the step up to professional cricket, which we have seen with many who have come through.

“In the team that played against Surrey here in the Championship in September, everyone apart from Brett Randell was a home-grown player, and that is something that the Club prides itself on.

“The development of a young cricketer is about trying to identify what the gaps are and what they really need. Do they need to develop a certain skill, or do they need to develop themselves?”

Shane then went on to talk about the young players will be abroad this winter.

“Fin Hill, who came onto the staff this autumn from the Academy, is currently out in Sydney, while Josh Thomas is out in Western Australia. Both are playing Grade Cricket and that will help them to develop their games and learn about life.

“Fin has played incredibly well over there and got some really good scores. He and Tom Aspinwall from Lancashire are at the same club and they can only play one pro at a time.

“However, it’s not just about putting in performances, it’s about going away and growing as a person, and trying to get a good all-round balance.

“It’s exciting to see these young players going out to Australia. Others have done it previously and I’m sure that there will be many more to come in the future.

“James Rew is off with the England Lions to Cape Town and his brother Thomas is going off with the England Under 19s to a training camp in South Africa.

“It’s really exciting to see how James has come through the Pathway and now we’ve got his brother Thomas who is hot on his heels.

“Thomas is young and still learning and understanding his game, but I think it’s going to be exciting to see how he develops and how he puts his game together. Whether that’s in the 50-over side, or pushing for higher honours in terms of the First Class game, or even T20.

“What we have to do as coaches is to look to be adaptable and keep making sure that the team is progressing and pushing forward whether that is containing younger players or not.

“Kasey Aldridge is also going away with the Lions to South Africa. We know what an exciting talent he is, and I think it’s good for him to go and do it on the international stage.

“Kasey gets really good bounce when he bowls so it will suit him to go to South Africa and hopefully, if selected, to Australia after Christmas. He bowls with pace and bowls really aggressively and I think it will suit his batting as well. He has the potential to become a really good all rounder.

Shane continued: “Archie Vaughan is also going out to South Africa with the Under 19s and has gone out a little bit earlier to bowl at the Lions. He did really well at the end of last season, and this will give him the chance to develop his game and play for the Under 19s while he is out there.

“Archie has come through the Pathway system here, and when he got his opportunity at the end of the season we were not surprised that he grabbed it and played the way that he did because we know what a good player he is. All credit to the Pathway coaches again.