Captain who saw his success as reason for team's failure

Justin Langer's positive move at Somerset may echo through county championship in 2008, writes Jon Henderson in the Observer.

He says he is certain the change in Somerset's fortunes in 2007 was the result of his visit to the committee after a second drawn match at Taunton dominated by batsmen, this one against Derbyshire. Langer wanted grassier pitches to make it a more equal contest between bat and ball. 'I got 300 in that first game and, OK, I received the accolades for doing it, but I don't want to play any game of cricket in those conditions,' he says, referring to the shorn strips that were being rolled out at the County Ground. 'They break the heart of the bowlers and they break the heart of everyone playing the game - except perhaps the batsmen who cash in. I want to play in games that are competitive, always going forward.'