SOMERSET County Cricket Club’s accounts have revealed a surplus of more than £330,000 for the last financial year.

The accounts, for the year ending September 30, show a pre-tax surplus of £330,389, which club bosses say highlights the club’s position as one of the strongest performing first-class counties.

The figures come despite a challenging year for the club, with the construction of the Somerset Pavilion and the associated reduction in seating capacity and facilities during the playing season.

Honorary treasurer, Malcolm Derry, said: “These strong financial results are of particular importance as the club remains committed to both operating within its budget and repaying the debt taken to finance the new Somerset Pavilion to schedule whilst not detracting from our substantial ongoing investment in our core business of cricket.”

Club's CEO, Guy Lavender, said the results were “heartening” and that demand for cricket in the West Country remained strong.

“It is heartening to return another good set of financial results which continues the consistent trend of strong performance achieved in previous years,” he said.

“Demand for cricket in all its formats is very strong in the West Country and this has contributed significantly to these results.

“In addition, we have had major growth in our commercial partnerships and we are delighted to be working with so many excellent businesses.

“In brief, we are ideally positioned to maintain one of the highest investments of any county directly into cricket, whilst continuing to develop the facilities at the County Ground as we move towards hosting international cricket in 2017.”