SOMERSET’S left armer Alfie Ogborne can’t wait to ‘put his foot on the gas’ and start bowling at batters on the grass.

The 22 year old, whose 2025 season was cut short by a back injury, had just completed an 8am bowling session in the Centre of Excellence when we talked.

“My winter has been going well. I have been working hard and working closely with Steve Kirby and Jason Kerr. I ended the summer with a back injury so I have been working with them to try and make a few changes in my action which have so far proven to be really positive.

“I have also had the benefit of having two or three months working one to one with our physio Laura Holmes and strength and conditioning coach Joseph Satt and now I have got greater clarity of my strengths and weaknesses which is always good to know as a young player going into the season.”

Alfie, who made his List A debut in 2022, went on: “I was a bit disappointed with last season if I’m honest. I started really well in Abu Dhabi, I came out of nowhere and had the opportunity to play the first game of the season. In the end it came down to a choice between me and Kasey and he went onto get five wickets - so I was close to starting the season but then I ended up carrying the drinks for two or three weeks.

“In hindsight, maybe I didn’t work hard enough off the pitch and when I got my opportunity against Hampshire I didn’t bowl well and was chasing my tail for the rest of the summer.

“Then when it came round to the 50 over matches for the times I did play I took a lot of wickets and impacted the games in the way I needed to which is always nice way to finish. However, ultimately, I would like to be offering more to the team and to the club than I was.”

Looking ahead to 2026, Alfie said: “ I’m excited looking ahead and have made some key changes in my action which I hope will help from a longevity perspective and I think it’s improved my skill set so far.

“I’m feeling good about it as well - and I’m just eager to get back into everything now. I’m going to start to put my foot on the gas a little bit more the week before we go to Abu Dhabi - the first week of March.

“I feel that there is a real opportunity for me and if there is a time when one of the senior guys gets a niggle and have to miss a week then I want to be the first in line to step up - if I’m not already playing. If I’m already playing then bring it on I’d love to play every single game.

What would a good season amount to for Alfie? “Being a more consistent presence in the first team, in the red ball stuff being a regular and part of that conveyor belt of rotation which is what I was close to being last year. I want to continue to lead the attack in the 50 over comp and if the opportunity arises it would be great to make an appearance in the T20 competition.”