This year’s Somerset Academy intake includes two boys from Cornwall who will be trying their hardest to follow in the footsteps of Lewis Goldsworthy, who hails from near Camborne.

One person who has been very involved in developing the close link that now exists between Somerset and Cornwall that has facilitated the progression of these two young players is Chris Hunkin, the  Pathway Manager in Cornwall.

Chris has a long association with Somerset having been on the Academy himself at the same time as time as Pete Trego and Matt Wood. He played a number of matches for Somerset Second XI at that time and played club cricket for Taunton St Andrews before leaving in 2001.

Earlier this week Chris talked about the ever developing link that exists between Somerset and the south west counties in general and Cornwall in particular.

“For a long period of time there has been a push to build the relationship between the south west counties and in the last six or seven years it has just taken off.

“It’s not just Cornwall and Somerset but Devon are heavily involved and its grown year on year and a lot of people have put a great deal of hard work into making this come to fruition.

“Andy Hurry has put a huge amount of work into this link, trying to create a south west pathway, thats how we frame it unofficially.

“Steve Snell picked it up and took it forward and since Matt Drakeley has come in it has taken on another level again to the point where there are lots of things that we do where our thoughts and philosophies in various areas are aligned and we try to do things together.

“It feels quite natural now and its only when we speak to other coaches in. Other areas of the country that we realise what we have got here in the south west.

“One of the underlying messages is that there is an understanding that no matter how strong Cornwall or Devon or Somerset are individually ,together we are stronger and we are all going to benefit from that, which is the real strength of what we are doing.

“In Pathway cricket especially in the last five years there has been a huge developments and changes probably more than at any time in the last 30 years.

“However what we have managed to do as three counties is quite special in a way and the relationship between the three is really close and its growing ever stronger.

Chris went on: “ One strand of this is that Andrew Griffiths ( Somerset) heads up a coaching programme where pathway coaches in Cornwall, Devon and Somerset can access a range of programmes through webinars and coaching days.

“For general coaches to have access to what he has put together is invaluable and thats one strand of whats going on between the three of us

“We have got Lewis Goldsworthy on the staff at Somerset which is really important because it solidifies that link between the counties and now we have got Rebecca Odgers in the women’s squad. This just reinforces that connection and gives young players from Cornwall an aspirational role model to look up to and emulate.

“Its really exciting what is going on in the south west at the moment. I very much look up to the guys at Somerset, they have got some brilliant people in control.

“Sarge ( Andy Hurry) has done an amazing job for a number of years and what he has achieved at the club as a whole is impressive.

“My own personal experiences of Jamie Cox as captain when I was a young player.  I was taken aback by what a decent humble leader he was and a brilliant bloke and to have him there now as Chief Executive heading up the club is a really good sign and the club will continue to grow and march on in the right direction under his stewardhip.

Chris added: “The longer we in Cornwall can contribute to ensuring that the south west continues to be a hot bed of cricket by producing more top players the better.”