Cidermen name a full strength side to face Loughborough U.C.C.E.

Somerset named a full strength team for the season's opener against Loughborough UCCE that gets underway at the County Ground in Taunton tomorrow.

The three new signings, batsman James Bryant, all rounder Aaron Laraman and West Indian paceman Nixon McLean who have been recruited during the winter are all been named in the line up.

After completing his final training session James Bryant told me: "I'm looking forward to the game here at Taunton tomorrow. I scored some runs at Hamsphire which I was pleased about and I am feeling very good with everything seeming to be coming right for me at the moment."

West Indian Test star Nixon McLean also makes his home debut tomorrow. After the chilly training session he told me: "So far so good for me, but it has been very cold indeed, it was freezing out there. The playing conditions are looking good and I'm looking forward to getting the season started tomorrow."

One player who is particularly pleased to be in the line up for the Loughborough match is fast bowler Simon Francis, who after being told of his selection said: "I really am delighted to be picked for tomorrow. My game has come on so much since the start of last season when I was pitched in at the deep end in the Benson and Hedges Cup games. After working so hard at my bowling over the winter all I want to do is to go out there put it into practice tomorrow."

The Cidermen will be led by new skipper Mike Burns, who told me: "We are feeling pretty confident about things at the moment. Everybody has practiced hard and played well against Hampshire, so we will be looking to go out there and get as much of a game as we can, before the Gloucestershire match on Good Friday."

Somerset coach Kevin Shine told me: "We are taking this game very seriously indeed and have named the strongest side that we have from the players who are available. The only two players who we would hope to have for next week's match at Bristol are Marcus Trescothick, who is not available and Matt Wood who is in hospital with a virus."

The Somerset team is: Piran Holloway, Peter Bowler, Mike Burns, Jamie Cox, James Bryant, Ian Blackwell, Rob Turner, Aaron Laraman, Richard Johnson, Nixon McLean and Simon Francis.

Meanwhile Nixon McLean has been joined by his younger brother, twenty two year old Reagan, who is a right arm fast medium bowler.

Reagan who has played cricket for the Windward Islands at Under 15 and Under 19 level in the West Indies, is looking to play cricket during his stay in England.

Anybody who would like to make contact with Reagan can do so through his older brother at the County Ground in Taunton, 01823 272946.