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“It’s been outstanding so far” – Jason discusses pre-season
The Somerset players who are not spending the winter overseas have been back at the Cooper Associates County Ground for the last two weeks.
We caught up with Head Coach, Jason Kerr to discuss how the pre-season has been going.
“It’s been outstanding so far,” he said. “Everyone had a good break and took the opportunity to refresh, spend time with their families and they’ve come back hungry, and we’ve had a couple of really productive weeks. Cricket is 12 months per year now and it takes a huge amount out of the players during the summer, and the Christmas break gives them that opportunity to take a step back, rest and recover so that we can go again now that the New Year is upon us.
“One of the most exciting challenges is getting people into a frame of mind where they see every day as an opportunity to get better. That’s the only way that you can improve and we’re really fortunate because we’ve got a great group of guys who enjoy that challenge of getting better on a daily basis. Everyone’s looking forward to pre-season and there’s a real sense of excitement ahead of the new season. There’s real camaraderie and connectivity around the group and there’s a very high work ethic. People are carrying out bespoke programmes and we’re looking at what the individual and group needs are. I’ve been delighted by what I’ve seen so far this year.”
How does Jason ensure that the squad move on from the frustrating end to last season?
“You use that as fuel,” he explained. “The biggest learnings come through adversity, whether that’s a tough environment in the indoor school or being on the wrong side of results. Those are your greatest vehicles for learning. We’ve certainly learnt some lessons from last year. The reality is that last year has gone. We need to stay in the here and now and maximise what we can do as we look to the summer.
“2025 presents another opportunity for us to play some really exciting cricket and to get the group to be the best versions of themselves. If we can concentrate on that then we’ll come out on the right side of a lot of results.”
How do the Club deal with so many players being away during the winter?
“It’s a challenge and you need the players to take responsibility for their own journeys a little bit when they’re away. We’ve got players in Australia, South Africa and the UAE. Some are involved in franchise cricket, and some are working with clubs, and they’ve got a responsibility to manage and look after themselves to a certain extent. You always have to look at what the positives are within the circumstances that you find yourself. Some guys are away, and you have the challenge of maintaining that unity within the group.”
It’s not just the big-name players who have been performing well away from Taunton this winter. The likes of Fin Hill and Josh Thomas have also excelled as Jason explained.
“Our players have been performing really well. They’re inspiring people and they’re also gaining experience and confidence. Fin has been prolific, and Josh has been doing really well too, which is great. For those two though it’s also about the life experience. They will come back as more mature individuals.”
2025 is a landmark year for Somerset County Cricket Club. Not only is it the Club’s 150th anniversary, a professional women’s team will also take to the field for the first time. How does Jason feel that the women’s team are settling in to their new home?
“The transition has been smooth and the relationships are growing between the two squads. There’s excitement because of this change and the men are looking forward to being proud of the women’s team. As we get into the season and the women start taking to the field, the men will become big fans of the women’s team.”
