BEN Green is the leading wicket taker in this years Vitality Blast competition having claimed 14 wickets to date from the six matches he has played in at an average of just 9.85 with an economy rate of 7.32.

Last season Ben who is 25 years old and came through the Devon age groups before joining the Somerset Academy, played in all 16 matches and ended as Somerset’s leading wicket taker with 32 to his credit at an average of 23.34.

Over the course of the first six matches last season Ben took nine wickets at an average of 19.33, so if he continues in the same vein throughout the rest of the campaign it looks like he will exceed his 2022 haul.

After he had helped bowl Somerset to victory over Essex on Sunday afternoon, during which he played a key part taking two wickets for six runs in the penultimate over to effectively seal the victory Ben talked about why he thought his bowling had improved this year.

“This year I suppose I’m trying to pick the right deliveries at the right time a little bit more. I took a bit of learning from last year when I bowled quite a lot and I’m continuing to try to develop that and be smarter basically.

“At the end of the day I suppose it’s not so much how fast you are its about making the right decisions.”

How hard had it been to hang on the Essex game when at one stage it looked as though Somerset were going to lose out?

“As a group I think that we are incredibly together and the confidence we have got from winning the first five games makes us confident that we could defend the situation.

"In the side we have got an incredible mix of talent and experience in our bowling attack- we have got three Test Match bowlers- plus Roleof and Lewis have played a shed load of T20s and I lob a few up now and then- so we are going well.”

Finally how hard was it going to be to keep the lid on this situation having won the first six matches in this year’s Vitality Blast?

“We are taking every game as it comes and the momentum is with us we are all thoroughly enjoying our cricket, and the boys are really together in the changing room!”

On Wednesday evening Ben will be returning to the Ageas Bowl with the rest of the Somerset squad to face Hampshire- the ground where he made his T20 debut in July 2016, during which he bowled two overs for 12 runs and made 12 not out- the second highest score!