OUR second Somerset County Cricket Club columnist for the 2020 season is Eddie Byrom.

Here, the 23-year-old opening batsman gives his thoughts on Somerset’s promising start to the campaign...

IT’S pretty strange to be playing without supporters in the ground, to be honest, but I think the boys were looking forward to playing for so long, we’re so happy to be back out there.

I couldn’t do too much cricket work when on furlough, so it was a chance to switch off.

I also did some online courses - it was a chance to do something different and develop myself.

As a squad we were able to sort out injuries and niggles, and everyone has come back fresh.

I get on very well with Tom Lammonby, my new opening partner.

I was out in Australia with him over the winter, we know each other well, but we have never opened together so it’s very new for us.

I’m helping him, as he is getting through his first few games in First-Class cricket, but I hope we can forge a good partnership going forward.

In terms of my batting, I’m just getting starts at the moment, which is very frustrating.

I will look to put that right and start getting some bigger scores, but the team is playing so well - the attitude has been outstanding, and that’s shown in our results.

Our performances as a team are up there with the best I’ve known here at Somerset.

We’ve been missing George Bartlett, Jack Leach and Dom Bess, as well as Lewis Gregory for the first couple of games, so to do what we’ve done - get on top of teams without some of our best players - shows what great shape the club is in, and long may it continue.

Following the Gloucestershire match, we start our Vitality Blast campaign next Friday.

T20s are a completely different kettle of fish to four-day cricket but our attitude won’t change - we want to be the best in the country.

In T20 competitions, so much can depend on momentum and a good start, so it’s important that we get that.