Somerset young cricketer Neil Edwards has already started his preparations for his trip to Australia this winter having just spent a week with the England Under 19 team at Lilleshall.

This has been a memorable season for the young man from Cornwall who celebrates his nineteenth birthday on Monday.

Neil was born and brought up in Penzance where he attended St Hilary Primary School before transferring to Cape Cornwall Secondary School. He played club cricket for Paul CC, and represented his county through the age groups until by the time he was sixteen he was playing Minor County cricket for Cornwall.

After two years at the Somerset Cricket Academy at the County Ground Neil made his first class debut for the county this season when he opened the batting in the match against West Indies A which ended in a tie.

The tall left hander gave a good account of himself in both innings and on the strength of that along with a number of games for the Somerset Second XI he has been chosen for England Under 19's to make the trip `down under'. At the end of the season Neil was given a one year contract with Somerset for 2003.

Looking back over the season he told me: "I have been really happy with the way that things have gone for me this year, in fact it has turned out even better than I could have hoped and I have achieved more than I expected. The high spot of the season was of course playing against West Indies A, and then being chosen for the England Under 19's tour has just about capped it off."

The touring party to Australia sets off on December 31st and returns to England on February 14th 2003. During their time in Australia the England Under19's play matches in Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne as well as a match against the full England Academy side.

What was he hoping to achieve during his trip I asked Neil. He told me: "First of all I hope that I can get into the England side and then I will look to carry on where I left of this season and work to improve aspects of my game."

Until he departs for Australia at the end of the year Neil is spending some time working in the office at the County Ground in Taunton.

Last winter another Somerset left hander, Ian Blackwell who is England's newest one day hero spent the winter sitting at the same desk that Neil is occupying in 2002, so who knows what might lie ahead for the young man from the Duchy.

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