DOM Bess reinstated his international ambitions after helping dig Somerset out a hole on the first day of their County Championship clash against Nottinghamshire in Taunton.

Bess, making just his second Championship appearance of the summer for Somerset, admitted after his vital 51 - scored having arrived at the crease at 145-6 - that he found it tough after going from Test cricket to Second XI matches in a matter of weeks last summer.

Four matches on loan at Yorkshire earlier this season helped him get his confidence back and now, for Somerset, it is a case of ‘use him or lose him’.

“I have been up Mount Everest and then off the other side of it,” Bess said.

“I have struggled at times over the last 12 months.

“I need to be playing, which is why I pushed for loan cricket.

“Somerset understood that and I really enjoyed my time at Yorkshire.

“I want to be playing international cricket as long as possible.

“People say ‘be patient’, and I know I am only 21 and people might call me naïve, but I am very ambitious.

“I want to be playing for England – that is my big ambition.”

Bess’ situation at Somerset has been compared to Jos Buttler’s – another homegrown talent who departed for pastures new to further his international ambitions.

Yorkshire are said to be keen on making a permanent move for Bess and they would be far from the only interested party should the spinner look to move on.

“I have another year after this season left here,” Bess said.

“I love this club and I came up through the academy here.

“I have to try and play every game here and see what happens.”

If he is to do so, innings like his half century on Sunday will prove crucial.

Somerset will not play two spinners all season and, if Bess is to feature in the early months, it may have to be in the top or middle order. 

“I’ve got to be a three-dimensional cricketer,” he said.

“I talk to Davos [Steve Davies] a lot about my batting and I’ll say to Abes [Tom Abell] ‘let me open’ – the guys here know how ambitious I am.”