This is Exeter -- Devon all-rounder James Burke has been training with the Somerset squad before flying out to South Africa early in the new year to play in Cape Town. Somerset Academy graduate Burke is a batting all-rounder and was on their playing staff in 2009 only to be dogged by injury. Although Burke has continued to play for Devon in Minor Counties cricket and for Budleigh Salterton in the Devon League, he drifted out of the First Class game. Burke spent last winter playing for Montrose in South Africa, where he enjoyed success, and last summer he became a regular with Somerset second XI where he continued his run of form. In all formats of the game, Burke scored more than 500 runs at an average of 31.11 and took 12 wickets at more than 49 each, and now he has decided to try to rekindle his career in county cricket. "I have decided to go back to South Africa and join up with the club I was with last year and play half the season with them out there in the sun and hopefully get some runs and wickets under my belt," he said. "I had a pretty decent season when I was away in Cape Town playing for Montrose and stayed pretty injury free, but probably didn't get as much training done as I would have liked. I obviously I had to do other things because I wasn't on the staff at Somerset. "I was also working for a physics degree with the Open University, which was quite challenging, but I'm enjoying it as well. "I am 22 now and ideally I would really like to give it another try this coming season, which is why I'm going back out to South Africa. "Last summer I had other commitments as well, but this coming season I'm going to give it another proper go. "When I go back out to Cape Town I am going to work really hard and then when I come back here later on in March I can hit the ground running." Burke has stayed remarkably loyal to Somerset, even though he has been kept on the fringes for much of his time there. His aspiration is to make it at Taunton, but Burke would listen to other offers. "At the moment I am planning to remain with Somerset because I love it there and they were my first club and have been very good to me, so if the opportunity is there then I will take it," said Burke. "However, I have look after myself and if my chance comes along somewhere else then I will take it."
Reported by This is 3 days ago.
This is Exeter -- Devon all-rounder James Burke has been training with the Somerset squad before flying out to South Africa early in the new year to play in Cape Town. Somerset Academy graduate Burke is a batting all-rounder and was on their playing staff in 2009 only to be dogged by injury. Although Burke has continued to play for Devon in Minor Counties cricket and for Budleigh Salterton in the Devon League, he drifted out of the First Class game. Burke spent last winter playing for Montrose in South Africa, where he enjoyed success, and last summer he became a regular with Somerset second XI where he continued his run of form. In all formats of the game, Burke scored more than 500 runs at an average of 31.11 and took 12 wickets at more than 49 each, and now he has decided to try to rekindle his career in county cricket. "I have decided to go back to South Africa and join up with the club I was with last year and play half the season with them out there in the sun and hopefully get some runs and wickets under my belt," he said. "I had a pretty decent season when I was away in Cape Town playing for Montrose and stayed pretty injury free, but probably didn't get as much training done as I would have liked. I obviously I had to do other things because I wasn't on the staff at Somerset. "I was also working for a physics degree with the Open University, which was quite challenging, but I'm enjoying it as well. "I am 22 now and ideally I would really like to give it another try this coming season, which is why I'm going back out to South Africa. "Last summer I had other commitments as well, but this coming season I'm going to give it another proper go. "When I go back out to Cape Town I am going to work really hard and then when I come back here later on in March I can hit the ground running." Burke has stayed remarkably loyal to Somerset, even though he has been kept on the fringes for much of his time there. His aspiration is to make it at Taunton, but Burke would listen to other offers. "At the moment I am planning to remain with Somerset because I love it there and they were my first club and have been very good to me, so if the opportunity is there then I will take it," said Burke. "However, I have look after myself and if my chance comes along somewhere else then I will take it."
Reported by This is 3 days ago.