Somerset Second Eleven player Wes Durston has been named as the new Somerset `Hero of the week' after his impressive performances with both bat and ball against a strong Lancashire side at Blackpool last week.

Second Eleven coach Mark Garaway told me: "Wes bowled well and batted superbly in both innings at Blackpool and certainly gets my vote to be `Hero of the week'."

Twenty one year old Wes, who has just completed his studies at Worcester University attended Millfield School, where he had a considerable record as a schoolboy cricketer.

In his final year at Millfield School in 1999, Wes captained an unbeaten side and scored four centuries during the season to end at the top of the averages, and took 35 wickets with his right arm off breaks.

He first appeared for Somerset Second Eleven in July 1999 against Derbyshire at Clevedon ,making a duck in his first innings, but made amends in the second when he top scored with 58.

Last season Wes finished in fourth place in the Somerset Second Eleven batting averages, scoring 479 championship runs at an average of 43.54, and was the highest placed non-contract player.

I caught up with Wes just as he left the field after losing to Worcestershire off the final ball of the final over of a 2nd XI Trophy match. He gave me the following answers to the `Hero' questions.

Q1 What sports do you enjoy, apart from cricket?
A.Hockey is the other sport that I enjoy, and I play for Shrewsbury who are in National League Division Two. I also enjoy watching football, I'm a Manchester United fan.

Q2 Who was your idol when you were young?
A. Graham Gooch and David Gower were my heroes when I was younger, and more recently Brian Lara and Steve Waugh.

Q3 Who is your favourite pop star or band?
A. Atomic Kitten and Robbie Williams are two of my favourites.

Q4 What do you do in your spare time?
A I watch a lot of sport. I have just finished my course at Worcester so I am relaxing after my studies. I followed a course in sports studies and education and that will qualify me for a job as a P.E. teacher or a sports centre manager.

Q5 Where did you go to school, and when did you start to play cricket?
A. I went to Millfield School, and started to play cricket when I was five years old. My Dad was a keen cricketer and I learnt a lot from him. My brothers were also keen cricketers.

Q6 What is your favourite food?
A That has to be Chinese. You can't beat a good Chinese meal for me. Q7 How much training do you do every week, are there any special exercises? A Outside of playing in the season I practice once a week on my skills, and have two sessions a week on my fitness.

Q8 What has been your most memorable match for Somerset?
A The match against Northants at Taunton last season when I scored 142.

Q9 Apart from the County Ground at Taunton, which is your favourite cricket ground and why?
A New Road at Worcester is my other favourite ground and Lord's. Worcester because that is where I have watched a lot of cricket over the last few years, and it is one of the prettiest grounds in the country and Lord's because it is the home of cricket.

Q10 What are your cricketing ambitions?
A To carry on improving and to play cricket for Somerset. My biggest ambition is to become a professional cricketer for Somerset and to help me to achieve this I am going out to Australia this winter to play cricket.

Thank you Wes for your answers, and I am sure that all Somerset website readers wish you every success in achieving your ambition.

© SOMERSET