SOMERSET'S Pete Trego, who last year claimed 50 championship wickets in a season for the first time in his career as well as hitting 600 runs, is back bowling again.

Early in January year the all rounder from Weston super Mare had to return from New Zealand a month ahead of schedule after suffering a side strain while he was playing for Central Districts.

Since then the 31-year-old has been following a strict rehabilitation programme and has just started bowling again.

Trego said: “It’s been really great to get the ball back in my hands again and I have probably bowled four or five four over spells indoors now.

"I am building up the intensity of the spells and had a bowl against Alex Barrow today and it came out quite nicely so I was pretty pleased.

“It’s great to be able to bowl again, rather than having to watch the other guys doing it, which I have found very frustrating.

“What has been good is that there has been no cricket to play so there has been no rush for me to push things along and we have been able to take time to make sure we get it right which is important because I still need to be bowling in September.

“We will continue to build it up from now ready for my first game of the season which is for the MCC in Dubai on March 20."

There have been some positives from this injury as Trego explained.

“For the last few years now I have been travelling around the globe playing cricket pretty much non stop 12 months of the year so this has been good for me from a rest point of view.

“It has also given me two months where I can just work physically and I have done a lot of work running up and down Weston sea front and all the other physical activities I enjoy doing without needing to play cricket matches so its been good to be able to get the body right.”

Looking ahead, Trego said: “The start of the season will be on us in no time, even though the conditions outside don’t get you thinking about cricket too much.

"Watching the guys train and practice in the nets they could all just walk out and compete tomorrow and it certainly be nice to get outside on the County Ground again.”

He added: “Now I’m really looking to flying out to Dubai and Abu Dhabi with the MCC because there will be ten days of cricket out on the grass and then it’s back here for the start of the season.”