Somerset batting prospect James Hildreth has been chosen as the new `Hero of the week' after hitting his best score for the Somerset Under 17's yesterday when he made an unbeaten 161 against Dorset at North Perrott.

The seventeen year old who attends Millfield School at Street, and plays club cricket for Glastonbury, has worked his way through the county age groups, and has impressed at all levels of the game.

Earlier this season James played for Somerset Seconds against a strong Warwickshire side at Knowle and Dorridge Cricket Club, scoring 30 runs and bowling tidily.

Under 17's manager Tony Davies told me: "He is a good all round cricketer, a three dimensional player. He is a very talented batter, and a more than useful bowler who is also an excellent fielder. He wouldn't be out of place fielding as twelfth man for Somerset first team."

Pete Sanderson, the Under 17's coach told me: " What has impressed me most is the way that he has stepped up a gear when the demands have been put onto him and the way that he has coped with it. He is a very good player."

Mark Garaway, the Director of the South West Regional Academy told me: " James Hildreth has come a very long way and made some significant changes over the last six months. I always felt that he was going to be a success after scoring lots of runs for Somerset Under 17's and the Under 19's. He wasn't out of place when he played for Somerset Seconds earlier this season, and now he is being given the opportunity to play for the ECB Under 17's v MCC I'm sure that he will make the most of it."

I met James at North Perrot yesterday just after he had completed his innings and then caught up with him on the telephone just after he arrived at High Wycombe Cricket Club, the evening before the match against MCC started.

James gave me the following answers to the `Hero of the week' questions:

Q1 What sports do you enjoy, apart from cricket?
A I play football for England Independent Schools and have also had England Hockey trials.

Q2 Who was your hero when you were younger?
A I guess my hero would have to be Ian Botham, I didn't see him play much but I have heard so much about him.

Q3 Who is your favourite pop star or band?
A I don't really listen to pop music very much.

Q4 What do you do in your spare time?
A When I'm not playing cricket, which isn't very often I spend my time playing or watching other sports.

Q5 Where do you go to school, and when did you start to play cricket?
A I go to Millfield School, where both Mark Davis and Richard Ellison have been a great help to me. Before that I went to Millfield Prep, but I've played cricket from a very young age.

Q6 What is your favourite food?
A That would most definitely have to be Chinese food.

Q7 How much training do you do every week, are there any special exercises?
A At school I train most days, with nets and out in the middle practice and I also work hard on my technical skills.

Q8 What has been your most memorable match for Somerset?
A I would think that the match at North Perrott against Dorset that has just ended has been my memorable because I have played my best innings so far.

Q9 Apart from the County Ground at Taunton, which is your favourite cricket ground and why?
A Edgbaston would be my next favourite, because I have played there several times and often done well.

Q10 What are your cricketing ambitions?
A In the near future I want to play some more games for Somerset Seconds. Beyond that I want to play cricket for Somerset and then for England.

Thank you James for your answers. I am sure that all of the Somerset website readers wish you all the very best for the future and will be following your cricketing career with great interest in the years to come.

© SOMERSET