MAX Waller, who enjoyed a successful career as a leg spinner and dynamic fielder before retiring from playing at the end of the 2022 season, is back working with the Somerset CCC Academy three days a week.

Max, who during a 15 year career became Somerset’s leading wicket-taker in T20 cricket, claiming 138 victims and pouched 86 catches with his athletic fielding explained his involvement with the Academy players.

“I’m working with a couple of the spinners throughout the winter which is really exciting and getting to know them and what they are good at, and working on areas of the game they need to develop.

“I have also been working with the Academy on the fielding side of things. I did a little bit of that with them last year but this year it’s more of a full time role and hopefully we can deliver a good programme which enables the next generation of Somerset players to come through and outfield the current crop we have now - and they are very good!

“I believe attitude is a massive part of that and they have all got the attitude that they are determined to get better and that all you can ask really. Skill levels are constantly improving which is great and the way the game is going now fielding is becoming more and more important, it really is the third skill.

“I am really passionate about both spin bowling and fielding so I am really enjoying being here to work with the Academy on a regular basis. I feel that I can add good value to the next generation of Somerset cricketers.”

Max went on: “I come into work with the spinners on Tuesdays and Thursdays and then Wednesday evenings are just focussing on fielding - I work with two smaller groups and then have another session with them all together for half an hour, so I get some good quality time. I do technical stuff in the smaller groups through the evening so I get enough contact time in the winter

“It will be good to see that translate to the summer in a match situation. Last summer I was focussing on my testimonial, but this year I have got more time to spend with them in game situations and see if what we are doing in the winter is put into practice.”

Since Max made his first team debut in 2005 fielding has become something of an art form about which he said: “ I suppose I was slightly ahead of the game when it came to fielding, and was quite lucky in that I enjoyed it, while at the time when I was coming through not too many did enjoy it.

"I probably stood out a bit more than I would have done in this generation - I always wanted to be part of the action out on the field.

‘The way that the game has developed since then is that everyone is now involved in the action, in any position and it’s about being as good as you can be in any specific role needed at any time in the game at any given moment.

“Fielding is only going to become more and more important and its a key part of the game and its something that I can add value to the next generation in.

“After spending 15 years in a professional cricketing environment to then be able to give something back to the next crop of players is something that I always wanted to do. I wasn’t sure how I would transfer from being a player to the coaching side of things but I feel that because it’s something that I really want to do it has been fairly comfortable for me.

Max added: “My transition from player to coach is going really well and I am getting more and more experience and more confident with it and enjoying my time doing it.”