Despite having to make a long journey to the north west with his family later in the day to visit relatives for Christmas, Somerset all rounder Mike Burns was at the County Ground early on Friday morning.

Mike, who will be thirty three in a couple of months time, enjoyed his best ever season in 2001 and played a major part in helping the Cidermen enjoy the most successful season in their history.

Mike told me, "Following the end of the season I've had a couple of weeks off, but since then I've been training in the Academy Fitness Centre three or four times a week."

He went on, "I've just done a course so that I can use the heavier weights that we now have in our new fitness room. I want to stay ahead of the game." Mike carried on, "Since the end of the season I've trained harder than ever using some of the new equipment that we have got and I'm fitter."

He continued, "All of the lads have been training very hard. Now that we have got to the heights we want to stay there, we won't be sitting back on our laurels.Everyone is making an effort to stay on top."

What was 2002 going to hold for the club I asked him. "If we get Matt Bulbeck back then we will have three quality seamers. His return to full fitness is just what we are looking for, and he will help to make Keith Dutch more effective. The success of last season will help to make the fringe players want to try harder and become part of that winning team."

He went on, "If we can get up and be near the leaders of County Championship early on then hopefully we have got a chance of staying there and being there or thereabouts at the end of the season." Mike told me that he felt that Somerset had their best chance in the Norwich Union League next season. "We've got to push hard in the N.U.L. because that is the one that I think we should win. We have had two lopsided seasons-in 2000 we started well and fell away badly, then last season we picked up well at the end and ended fourth place."

He continued, "In the cups you can always have an off day, but in the N.U.L. you should only lose 2 or 3 games."

When Mike returns, early in the New Year he has to undergo an operation on his ankle. "I was carrying an injury for the last month of the season," he told me and continued," I've been receiving treatment but it hasn't responded so I will be going into the Nuffield in Taunton for the operation. I will have to rest my ankle for a couple of weeks, but it wont stop me coming into the gym!" After we spoke Mike disappeared into the "dungeon" as the new fitness room which is situated away from the Academy Centre has been nicknamed by the players, for his final work before the festive break.

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