SOMERSET’S cricketers have been back training at the Cooper Associates County Ground since earlier this month. However some of the younger players are spending the winter playing cricket overseas.

Fin Hill, who is 18 and signed a contract after graduating from the Academy this summer, and second year professional Josh Thomas are both out in Australia playing Grade Cricket.

Archie Vaughan, who is also 18 and graduated from the Academy this summer, is out in South Africa where he is bowling with the England Lions before joining up with the England Under 19 training camp.

James Rew,who scored over 700 runs at an average of 36.71 and claimed 49 victims behind the stumps, is currently at the England Lions training camp in Cape Town. Kasey Aldridge, who is 23, is also currently out at the England Lions training camp

Shoaib Bashir, still only 21, is in New Zealand preparing for the upcoming Test series along with his team mate Jack Leach.

Thomas Rew, who is 16 years old and currently on the Academy, is off to join the England Under 19s training camp.

Shane Burger, the Somerset batting and assistant coach, said: “It’s exciting to see Fin Hill and Josh Thomas going out to Australia to help them to develop their games and learn about life and make mistakes.

“James Rew is off with the England Lions to Cape Town and his brother Thomas is going off with the England Under 19s to a training camp in South Africa and now you have got his brother Thomas hot on his heels.

“We all know what an exciting talent Kasey is and I think its good for him to go and do it on the international stage. He bowls with pace and bowls really aggressively and I think it will suit his batting as well. He has the potential to become a really good all rounder.

“ Archie Vaughan is also going out to South Africa with the Under 19s. He did really well at the end of last season and this will give him the chance to develop his game.

“Shoaib Bashir has gone from strength to strength which is really good to see. He is someone who learns really quickly and is a great character and as a batting coach it’s good to see that his batting skills are getting better!”

Shane added: “Left arm bowler JT Langridge, who came onto the staff after graduating from the Academy, is spending this winter back in Taunton. He has come back from injury so he hasn’t gone overseas and is here working on a return to bowling programme and developing his skills preparing for next season.”