Devonian opening partnership looking likely for the Cidermen

With the new cricket season fast approaching it is looking increasingly likely that the Somerset opening partnership will be Peter Bowler and Matt Wood.

Bowler who turns forty in July is the senior professional on the staff, having previously had spells with both Derbyshire and Leicestershire before moving west in 1995, whilst Wood is just twenty two and the youngest member of the first team.

Both players have a very strong association with the West Country because they were both born in Devon.

Matt Wood was born in Exeter and is well known in Devon cricketing circles, having played for Exmouth Cricket Club where his father Jim Wood is chairman, and Devon County Cricket Club. Peter Bowler was also born in the county at Plymouth, where his father was posted in the Australian Navy, so both players are Devonians.

Last season Jamie Cox and Matt Wood were the championship openers for Somerset, but with the Tasmanian announcing that he wants to drop down the order in his final season with the county, Peter Bowler is relishing the opportunity of going back to opening.

He told me: " I may be in my fortieth year but I am fitter than ever and I am still hungry for the game. If anything I am even more enthusiastic about the game, and the longer that I play the more I enjoy it .I'm delighted to be back at the top of the order opening the innings again because I think that is where I play my best cricket, going out and facing the new ball."

What did he think about opening the innings with a player who was eighteen years his junior. He told me: "I want to finish my career at the top and I think that Wood and Bowler will be a very successful opening partnership for the club. Matt is a very talented young player, and will continue to improve. I expect him to score more centuries in his career than I have and I think that he is someone who could well be looking at an Academy place next winter, I rate him very highly indeed."

Matt Wood told me: "I like batting with Peter Bowler. We shared partnerships against Kent both at Canterbury and here at Taunton, when I made my big score and he was a great help with advice and encouragement out in the middle. He has also helped me a great deal technically with my game so I am delighted at the prospect of opening for Somerset with him."

Commenting on the prospect of having two Devon born players opening the innings for Somerset, chief executive Peter Anderson said: "Having emigrated to the West Country in 1959 and married locally in Devon I regard myself as a Devonian, although some of the locals in Beer would question that!"

He continued: " I know the local cricket scene well, and of course it's a great fillip for Devon cricket to dine out on the possible Bowler and Wood opening partnership, but it is rather a strange partnership. Mr `Tough Guy', Peter Bowler who you would always want in your team is totally different from Matt Wood who says nothing but lets his talent do the talking. If they are successful I will win in two ways because I support two teams- Somerset and Devon."