Wisden’s view of the team Marcus Trescothick has now inherited from Justin Langer. The county roundup for 2009 stressed the issue of the Taunton pitch (Phil Frost must grind his teeth at descriptions of it being a feather bed, road or such like but the point is a fair one) as the crux between Somerset and Durham. Certainly the bowling of Willoughby, Stiff and Phillips was equal to the task away from home while the batting was excellent once more. The report hints at a crossroads – without Langer and Caddick (though the latter has not featured much in 2009) and the importance of the next generation of Suppiah, Hildreth and Kieswetter playing increasingly important roles for the county. Craig Kieswetter in an England sweater (a great new Somerset chant perhaps??) is not such as outlandish as it sounds though I don’t think he’ll walk into the team as fellow saffa KP did.

Trescothick’s captaincy will be interesting though as he’s been vice and is part of the furniture at Taunton, there’s unlikely to be any upheaval. I’ve said it often enough on here but there’s a feeling that Somerset are close to a breakthrough and that first elusive title. Much depends on Kartik who it surprised me to see only got 33 wickets in the Championship. I say only, as that’s a not unreasonable haul but more is expected at Taunton and with Mushie’s frequent soujourns into the 80-90 wicket region, there’s plenty to live up to for those that still wistfully remember the Pakistani master, chirping and whirling his way to another five-wicket haul.