Somerset give contracts to six

Somerset have given two-year contracts to six players: Keith Parsons, James Hildreth, Matthew Wood, Gareth Andrew, Neil Edwards and Carl Gazzard.

Peter Anderson, Somerset's chief executive, said: "As always, negotiations tend to be long-winded, as players seek to do the best for themselves in terms of pay and length of contract."

Parsons, 31, has been with Somerset for the last 12 seasons, but has played only four games in the last two years. "The club obviously wants to stick by its younger players and those, such as Keith Parsons, who have been loyal to the club," Anderson explained. "We do not, however, have a bottomless pit of money and there has to be a degree of compromise on both sides."