Somerset’s production line leaves Snell feeling swell
IT’S been a busy start to the winter for Steve Snell. Returning to Hong Kong a decade after taking his first steps in coaching in the country, followed by a restructure in the Somerset coaching ranks, Snell’s new role at Somerset will be as academy director charged with bringing through the next generation of players in Taunton.
Few counties have been as reliant as Somerset on young, homegrown talent, while remaining as successful.
Last year they may have struggled to match the exploits of 2016 – when they fell agonisingly short of the County Championship title – but it was the likes of spin twins Jack Leach and Dom Bess, as well as Craig Overton, who carried the bowling load to help Somerset beat the drop.
That trio, along with Overton’s twin brother Jamie, Lewis Gregory, and club captain Tom
Abell form the core of the team – and Snell is confident there are more promising players on the horizon in the West Country.
He explained: “The biggest change in my role will be that I’m no longer coaching the second XI so it will make a bigger difference in the summer. Over the winter it doesn’t change much, but during the summer it will be easier to follow how the academy players are going.
“This is my fourth winter in the programme and it’s something I’ve really enjoyed.
“One of the main targets for the county is to promote our own, so it’s good to see the likes of Jack and Bessy go so well and get recognition with the Lions.
“We really want to get more of that.You take Jos Buttler (now at Lancashire), a lot of the young lads can relate to him as a Somerset lad who has forged a very good career for himself. Craig Overton is out on the Ashes tour now and it would be brilliant to see him get a chance.”
At 20, Bess is already a mainstay of the Somerset team. Zimbabwean opener Eddie Byrom is the same age and enjoyed a breakthrough season last term, while Tom Banton, Tom Lammonby and Fin Trenouth are all currently away with the Young Lions.
Snell has also been expanding his own coaching horizons, heading out to China and Hong Kong this winter with the MCC – a trip that took him back to some of his earliest coaching experiences.
He added: “It was a great trip with the MCC out to China and Hong Kong and I still enjoy playing when I get the chance. We actually played seven games in nine days because we were expecting the weather to affect some of the games. I got a few runs as well including one 40-odd ball hundred so it was good fun.
“Back in 2006/07 I was an MCC Young Cricketer and had the opportunity to head out to Hong Kong for a year. They have good links in Hong Kong and Phil DeFreitas was moving on.
“Even then I knew that long-term I wanted to get into coaching and it was a great opportunity. I’ve still got some good friends over there so it was great to be able to catch up with them. It’s a great place to play.”