Veteran batsman Peter Bowler may be into his fortieth year but he has no intentions of retiring from the first class game at present and is already looking forward with great enthusiasm to the 2003 season.

"We need to look at the side that we now have, and if we write it down on paper then it looks very very good. The signing of Nixon McLean, who has been one of the outstanding bowlers in South Africa will give us a formidable strike force when he links up with Andy Caddick and Richard Johnson.It will be exciting for the crowds to watch bowlers of that pace on this wicket."

He continued: "The news that Richard Johnson is going to be fully fit is just what we want. He has been taking his wickets at the cost of just over 21 runs each, and if he had played all of last summer then most likely he would be out in Australia now. These three along with Matt Bulbeck, Steffan Jones and Simon Francis will mean that we can now bowl sides out."

The batsman who has topped 1000 runs in nine of the seventeen seasons that he has been playing championship cricket reflected on last season and told me : "We didn't bat very well last season after we lost our confidence, and over the last couple of years we have failed to bowl sides out."

He went on: "We haven't won many games over the last couple of years and in truth we have just about hung onto our place in the top division. But now we have been relegated and we have got to start all over again."

He told me that he felt that Somerset had looked at what they had to do to rectify the situation and they had wasted no time in doing it with their three new signings of Nixon McLean, Aaron Laraman and James Bryant.

What about his own fitness I asked. He told me: I haven't felt as fit as I feel now for more than ten years, and I certainly have no thoughts of retiring. If I did I would'nt be playing next season."

What was he hoping for in 2003. He told me: "I just want to get out there in the middle and do what I do best and score 11-1200 runs. I am going back to opening the innings, and Jamie Cox will drop down to number four. Opening the innings is where I am best suited and its best for the club."

He continued: " I like to bat against the new ball for two or three hours at the start of the innings and I still get a buzz just thinking about it. I get frustrated watching others opening because that's my forte and that's what I want to do."

With Peter Bowler returning to open the innings and the arrival of James Bryant from Eastern Province to bat shortly afterwards coupled with the other new signings Somerset fans are in for an exciting season in 2003.

© SOMERSET