Somerset fans will be delighted at the news that they will have the services of their two England players Andy Caddick and Marcus Trescothick for some of their early season matches before the start of the home test series and the triangular one day international tournament.

Both players will be missing from the match against Cardiff UCCE at Millfield School, and they will also miss out on the County Championship opener against Sussex at Hove on April 24th, plus the first three Benson and Hedges matches.

However Caddick and Trescothick will be available to play for the Cidermen in the Benson and Hedges games against Gloucestershire at Bristol on Sunday May 5th, and against Worcestershire the following day at the County Ground, and the pair will also be able to play in the county championship match against Yorkshire, which starts on Wednesday May 8th.

Somerset Chief Executive Peter Anderson told me: "As last year we are disappointed that they are going to be missing from the first three Benson and Hedges matches, but we will just have to get on with it. However we are delighted that they will be available to play in the Queens Golden Jubilee match against reigning champions Yorkshire."

The Somerset Chief added; "We have also had it confirmed that Richard Johnson will not be a centrally contracted England player and will be available to play for Somerset from the start of the season."

Meanwhile Marcus Trescothick who returned from New Zealand last Friday was at the County Ground watching his county team-mates play a forty over match between themselves on Saturday and also again when they beat the West of England Premier League XI on Monday.

© SOMERSET