At 10.55am on Wednesday morning, the umpires rang the bell on the balcony of the Andy Caddick Pavilion at the Cooper Associates County Ground in Taunton, before making their way out to the middle followed by players from Somerset CCC and Cardiff MCCU ready to get the new cricket season under way. 

Following this three-day match Somerset then play two further warm up matches, another three day game against Glamorgan also at the County Ground starting on Monday 27th March, and a one day fixture with Gloucestershire in Bristol on Friday 31st March. 

The season then gets under way in earnest with a championship match against Warwickshire at Taunton that starts on Thursday 6th April. 

For devotees of the summer game this is the best time of the year because after a long and what has seemed colder than usual winter, the start of the season when everything is possible can't come soon enough. 

Will this be the year that Somerset win the County Championship for the first time since they were established way back in 1875? The signing of two new batters to strengthen the top order should hopefully help to prevent the batting collapses that seemed to happen too often in 2023 and saw the team struggling for survival in the top flight. 

Is this going to be the year when the Cidermen win the T20 Cup for the first time since 2005 when under the leadership of Graeme Smith they beat a star studded Lancashire side at The Oval. 

Sadly, with so many of their players being absent taking part in The Hundred in August its hard to see Somerset winning the 50 Over One Day Cup, a competition that gave them their last taste of silverware when they beat Hampshire in the last Lord’s final in 2019. 

Somerset will be sporting their new championship shirt when they face Warwickshire which was launched in the Cricket Museum on Tuesday.

Somerset captain Tom Abell, along with James Rew and Craig Overton found themselves surrounded by the legends of the game in the county which over the years has such a rich history.

 All three of those involved in the shirt launch have a very strong attachment to Somerset, with skipper Tom, and James both hailing from Taunton, whilst Craig grew up in North Devon where he learned his early cricket before joining the Academy.

Every one of the trio is likely to play a big part of any success that Somerset achieve this season.

 Tom Abell, who hopes to be fit to play in the opener enjoyed his best ever season with the bat and topped 1000 championship runs for the first time in 2022 which included five centuries.

 James Rew, who is a batter wicket-keeper only turned 19 in January and made his championship debut last July  at Southport against Lancashire hitting 70 in the first innings . He went onto score almost 350 runs which included an unbeaten century against Essex at Chelmsford.

 Craig made his championship debut back in 2012 since when he has become a major factor in the Somerset attack ending last season as the clubs leading wicket- taker with 36 at 17.97. 

Is this going to be the season that Somerset lift that last remaining prize, the county championship which they have been so close to in recent years but never quite made it? 

One things is certain  the players are all well up for the challenge and it wont be for the lack of support from their loyal followers, a large number of who will be making their way the Taunton to see the start of the championship game on Maundy Thursday.