Following his 97 against Leicestershire last week Somerset all rounder Mike Burns is the new `Hero of the Week.'

Mike has enjoyed a good season with the bat and is only four runs short of his 1000 runs in a season, and after a run of four scores in the nineties will no doubt be hoping to reach three figures in one of his final innings over the next few days.

The former Warwickshire player moved south down the M5 to become one of newly appointed coach Dermot Reeve's first signings in 1997 and since then has never looked back.

Mike has become a firm favourite with the crowds at both Taunton, and at Bath where he scored his career best 221 against Yorkshire in 2001. His aggressive style of batting and his bowling have proved to be match winners on many occasions.

I caught up with Mike at the end of the Monday morning training net session at the County Ground when he was pleased to give me the following answers.

Q1 What sports do you enjoy apart from cricket?
A I enjoy playing golf and usually play to a handicap of nine or ten. I support Liverpool Football Club and follow the fortunes of Barrow in Rugby League.

Q2 Who was your idol when you were young?
A I didn't really have an idol but I guess that Ian Botham was a major influence on me like he was on a lot of other young players who were growing up at that time.

Q3 Who is your favourite pop star or band?
A That's easy, it's Eminem , I hope that is how you spell it!

Q4 What do you do in your spare time?
A I spend my spare time with my family, entertaining Elizabeth who is five and Adam who is just two.

Q5 Where did you go to school, and when did you start to play cricket?
A I went to Walney Comprehensive , and when I left school I went to work at Vickers at Barrow in Furness for four years. I started to play cricket at Vickerstown and then moved to play for Netherfield in the Northern League, where I was playing when Dermot Reeve came to play as a pro. I scored a fifty and on the strength of that I was invited for a trial with Warwickshire. When I went down to Edgbaston I scored 80 odd in a trial game and was signed by Bob Cottam who was the coach at the time.

Q6 What is your favourite food?
A I'm very fond of Indian curries and I like them hot!

Q7 How much training do you do every week, are there any special exercises?
A I go to the gym three or four times a week for two hours. My special exercise is all round body toning!

Q8 What has been your most memorable match for Somerset?
A That has to be the Cheltenham and Gloucester Final at Lord's in 2001.

Q9 Apart from the County Ground at Taunton, which is your favourite cricket ground and why?
A. Trent Bridge at Nottingham, which has a really nice comfortable feel to it despite being a Test Match ground.

Q10 What are your cricketing ambitions?
A To win the county championship for Somerset and to continue to play a major part in the club's success.

Thank you Mike for answering the `hero' questions for us, and lets all hope that your ambitions comes to fruition in the near future.

© SOMERSET