By RICHARD WALSH
DOM Bess is currently out in Spain with the rest of the Somerset squad attending a pre-season training camp at Desert Springs.
The 19-year old-off spinner who burst on to the Somerset scene last season taking 13 wickets at an average of 10.46 in his two championship matches knows that he is facing a real challenge in 2017.
Bess, a former Blundell's School pupil, played for Sidmouth while moving through the Devon age-groups then switched to Exeter to play Premier cricket.
This has been his second winter playing Grade cricket in Australia since graduating from the Somerset Academy. Last summer he was a virtual ever-present in the Devon Minor Counties side.
‘It was a little bit different for me in Australia this year because I knew what I was going out to regarding the conditions,’ said Bess.
‘Before I went I didn’t know my side as there was a little bit of a change but this year I played for West Torrens.
‘I found out when I started playing that they were bottom of the league last year and were looking to link up with Port Adelaide and there was a bit of a legal battle going on off the field.
‘On the field it was challenging. I bowled well but probably didn’t get as many opportunities with the bat as I would have liked, but I worked a lot on that side of my game in the nets out there with various coaches.
‘I was on the Darren Lehmann Academy three days a week and then the other two I’d spend time working with some of the others who were out there, like George Hankins from Bath.’
Looking towards the new season Bess said: ‘I’d love to be able to pick up from where I ended last season, but I think that this year will be a massive learning curve for me.
‘I feel like it is going to be a challenge and for me it is going to be about taking my opportunities like I had last year.
Last year I created those opportunities by the way I played in the 2nd XI and I will be looking to do the same.
‘As a team the 2nd XI did phenomenally well in 2016 and that always drives you.
‘We have got a good environment and last year we had a winning habit in the side which we hope to carry on with this year.’
