FORMER Somerset player Craig Meschede was back at the Cooper Associates County Ground earlier this month for the first time since he was forced to retire from professional cricket with a shoulder injury in June 2020.

During his career, the South African born all rounder, who joined the Somerset playing staff from the Academy, made his debut in 2011, scored almost 2200 runs across all formats, including two first class centuries and took more than 100 wickets before he moved to Glamorgan in 2015.

“Its been a long time, but its good to be back here - it feels like home,” Craig, who is now 34 years old, said as he watched the current team playing against Yorkshire.

“Being here feels very familiar and it feels like I’ve been welcomed back .Plus there are a few familiar faces in the Somerset team - people of my vintage - Lewis Gregory, Craig Overton and Tom Abell. Craig reflected back over his time with Somerset. “The best memories of my career are from when I was playing professional cricket with Somerset County Cricket Club. I went to school at King’s College in Taunton and went through the Academy at the County Ground and came onto the staff as a professional , and have always felt that this was my home away from home.

“Even though I moved away that never changed and it’s good to see the likes of Jason Kerr, Sarge (Andy Hurry) still in charge and still doing great things for Somerset. I also bumped into Baz (Alex Barrow) earlier and he is now here coaching with the Academy

“It’s a good place to be, a great place to play cricket and a good place to come back to. It’s good to see a lot of the current players and former players and be able to catch up with so many people.”

Craig picked out a couple of highlights from his playing days with Somerset. “My first wicket was against India and I got Sachin Tendulkar out, which was a very special moment for me - caught Buttler bowled Meschede which I can remember very clearly. Then I asked him to sign my shirt afterwards.

“Another game I remember was against Glamorgan who had Simon Jones bowling for them when we were struggling and then Max Waller and I had some fun and pulled it back a bit and I hit a number of sixes in an over -which is something that will stick with me.

“Just to think that it all began when I came to play in Taunton at the King’s Festival with my school St Stithians in my short white shorts and long white socks and that was the start of something very good. Just to think Jos, myself, Baz, Banton, Smeed, and the Rews have all come from King’s which seems to be a breeding ground for Somerset cricketers.”

So what does Craig do now: “ I am involved with wealth management and I’m an independent financial adviser and work with a company called MKC Wealth, who are based in London, and I live in Surrey with my family and I’m really enjoying it.

He added: “I have really enjoyed coming back and catching up with everyone and hope it won’t be too long before I come back again.”