Bess relishing working with Botha

Somerset spinner Dom Bess is enjoying working with former Protea skipper Johan Botha during his spell with Adelaide-based West Torrens Cricket Club.

Bess has spent the English winter honing his craft in grade cricket in Australia and is eager to press for more white ball opportunities with both his county and England.

The spinner told the Somerset County Gazette: “I’m just loving Adelaide, working again with the Lehmann Academy and closer with Johan Botha on both my batting and bowling - I found he is someone who is very similar to me.

“I’m training Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, while playing Saturday and some Sundays – so it’s pretty full on.

“It’s been very good for my white ball bowling and, hopefully, I will be able to knock the door down there with good performances back home!”

Bess is thrilled with both his performance and the showings of the team as a whole with the club still in the running in three competitions.

The young tweaker said: “We are currently undefeated in all three competitions and have got into the semi-final of our T20 competition.

“I feel like my competition has gone really well - bowling 4 overs 0 maidens 20 runs 2 wickets, 4/0/19/1, 4/0/12/0, 4/0/15/1 - which I have been pleased about, while I have been batting eight or nine but haven’t been asked to bat apart from once.

“In the 50-over competition we are top of the table, going through to the quarters.

“I bowled 10/1/31/1 and 10/0/45/4 which I felt very good about but, again, only coming in to finish one game getting five not out.

“The two-day games have also gone well and we are second in the table. Here, I’ve bowled 20.4/7/30/2 and 5/5/0/0.

“As a spinner I feel like you have to work very hard and stay patient, so these figures are good as it shows I have been accurate.”

Bess is happy with the work his has put in on his bowling and batting in slightly alien conditions.

He added:  “My batting hasn’t gone to plan result-wise, but the work I’m doing in the nets I’m very happy with.

“Batting is one big thing in my game I feel like I have improved but, as a perfectionist, I want to try and get even better at it."

It hasn't been all graft for the spinner who has enjoyed some travel in his down time: “I’ve had a nice little break in which I travelled to Perth, Bali and New York as well.

“Now I’m back in Adelaide for another hard eight weeks, then it’s back home for pre-season.

“I’d like to wish all the Somerset Supporters a happy new year and I look forward to seeing them this year at the County Ground.”