By Richard Walsh & Conrad Sutcliffe
YOUNG all-rounder has Ben Green touched down in Western Australia where he will spend the winter playing Grade cricket in Perth.
Green, who plays for Exeter and Devon when his Somerset commitments permit, flew out on Tuesday just a couple of days after his 20th birthday.
The Somerset Academy graduate, just going into the second year of a three-year deal with the county, will be playing for Gosnells CC in the Western Australia Cricket Association competition.
Green could run into his former Somerset team-mate Jim Allenby while at Gosnells. Allenby, who parted company with Somerset last month, plays for Claremont-Nedlands in the same competition.
Glenn Lammonby, the father of Green’s Somerset’s club-mate Tom Lammonby, played for Gosnells before emigrating to this country 25 years ago.
Green doesn’t return until the last week of February, just in time for the start of Somerset’s pre-season preparations.
Green missed a slice of last season with Somerset due to injury and his stint in Perth will be part of his rehabilitation.
“I have got a stress response, which is inflammation on one of the vertebrae in my back, which was caught early and I was able to play the last two games of the season as a batter,” said Green.
“I have still got a lot of rehab to do out there and my strength and conditioning work and I will be training cricket-wise as much as I can out there as well.
“I am happy I got so much cricket in after last year’s injury, which is a massive positive to have played as much as I have.
“I felt like I bowled quite nicely at the start of the season and found some rhythm and bowled with good control.
“I scored some good runs and got a hundred and a few nice starts, but overall it was a bit average for me.”
He added: “I have taken a lot out of this season and now I am looking forward to going away and working on my game then coming back and being a big part of the squad in 2018.”
In addition to playing cricket, what else will Green be doing?
“I am living with a family who have a concrete flooring business, so I might do a bit of work for them,” said Green.
“Hopefully I will also get to do some travelling.”
