CRAIG Kieswetter, who this week reported back for pre-season training with the rest of the Somerset players, yesterday spoke of his excitement at the season ahead.

The 24-year-old, wicket-keeper batsman has just returned from playing a key role in England’s back to back win series victories over Pakistan in the T20s and ODIs.

Somerset open their season in earnest with four successive championship and Kieswetter has got his sights very firmly set on success for the Cidermen this summer.

He said: “Obviously we want to win trophies and that is why we play the game, but it can be quite dangerous to look too far ahead.

“We are focussing massively on the first championship game against Middlesex at home on April 5, which isn’t too far away now, and hopefully we will get our campaign in that competition off to a good start.

“Over the last couple of years we have started slowly in the four day format so we are putting a lot of emphasis on that first game and trying to get off to a good start.

“We want to win games, we want to win trophies, we want to be posting 400 plus on the board and we want individuals to be stepping up and taking responsibility at crucial times.”

Kieswetter first played for Somerset Seconds back in 2006 while he was at Millfield School, and made his first team debut the following season, since when he hasn’t looked back.

He added: “These are exciting times at Somerset.

“We have got some fantastic players on board, some great people on the coaching side of things and I think that we are very different from where we were when I first played for the county.”

“We are very professional, we are consistently looking to perform to our maximum potential and we have got some great fans which is why it makes me feel really proud to be part of this club.”

Somerset begin their pre-season friendlies with a two day game against Glamorgan starting next Monday, which is followed by another two day game against Worcestershire on March 22.

Entry to all pre-season games is free and the Old Pavilion will be open for refreshments.