As Johnson celebrates his news Anderson says 'NCL has now become a priority'

Richard Johnson was absolutely delighted after hearing the news that he had been selected for the England squad that will take part in the Triangular One Day series later this summer.

The Somerset bowler who is currently near the top of the first class bowling averages after capturing 23 wickets at a cost of just over 18 runs each has yet to make his One Day International debut for his country.

The twenty eight year old paceman who joined the Cidermen in 2001 from Middlesex has proved himself to be a good signing and topped the Somerset bowling averages last season and the previous year was the leading wicket taker for the county.

He said: "Obviously to play for your country is everyone's ambition and one of the reasons why you play cricket and I am very pleased to be given my chance."

"I heard the news on Thursday morning when David Graveney telephoned me at home to tell me. I thought that I might be in with a shout after doing well this season, and I'd had heard rumours but it still came as a bit of a shock when he called," he said.

The Triangular One Day series that involves England, South Africa and Zimbabwe starts on June 17th and culminates in a final at Lords on July 12th.

Meanwhile earlier in the day chief executive Peter Anderson reflected on Somerset's exit from this year's Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy on Wednesday at the hands of Surrey.

"After the game the dressing room was a desolate place to be, and the players were pretty despondent. However to try to put the result into perspective Surrey are currently unbeaten and at the top of National Cricket League Division One whereas we are in the lower reaches of Division Two and yet they only managed to beat us by six runs."

He continued: "What we have to do now is to keep up our challenge for promotion back to Division One in the county championship, and with Richard Johnson being in the England One Day squad and likely to be called up and Andy Caddick injured, the coach and the players will have their work cut out to meet this challenge."

"As a result of our defeat on Wednesday the coach and the captain know that we have to do some rethinking regarding the National Cricket League which has now become a priority," he added.

Somerset are without a game in the round of championship matches that get underway today, but are next in action when they take on Worcestershire in the first game of the Bath Festival that starts next Wednesday.

The county boss said: "We have our next crucial championship match at Bath on Wednesday, and the good news for those people who travel to the ground by car is that this year there will be no problem with parking on the Bath Rugby Ground, whatever the weather!"