Kasey Aldridge is targeting a place in Somerset’s first team as an all-rounder as his promising career continues to develop.
The 21-year-old Bristolian was afforded an unexpected chance to parade his skills in the County Championship as a concussion replacement for Josh Davey in the recent home game against Surrey.
Tall seamer Aldridge grabbed the opportunity with both hands, swinging the ball more than any other bowler to claim four for 61 in the second innings, having taken his maiden Championship wicket in the first.
I was equally interested to see him contribute 15 to an eighth-wicket stand of 54 with centurion Lewis Gregory in Somerset’s second innings and asked what role he saw himself playing in future.
“I’d like to consider myself a genuine all-rounder,” Aldridge told me. “My batting was pretty poor last season, but I worked really hard on it during the winter. This summer I am putting a real emphasis on developing into a player who can help win games with bat and ball.
“I have also been working really hard with the coaches on my bowling. I was a bit too front-on last year and have been trying to make a few technical changes to help with injury-prevention as well.
“Steve Kirby has been a massive help to me and now it is a case of putting in the performances to make all the work worthwhile.”
Given his birthplace, Aldridge might have been expected to have allegiance to Gloucestershire, but that was never the case.
“There was no question of joining them,” he said. “Although I was born in Bristol, my family are from the Chew Valley and I became a Somerset boy in terms of cricket from around the age of seven.
“Chris Twort and Dave Beal, from Millfield School, brought me to the club as a young pup and I have been associated with it ever since. I recently moved to live at East Coker, just south of Yeovil.”
Having progressed through the Somerset age groups, Kasey joined the club’s Academy in 2019, making his second XI debut in that year. His first Championship appearance came against Leicestershire at Taunton in July last year as a replacement for Craig Overton, who was called up by England on day three of the game.
Aldridge failed to take a wicket bowling 22 overs in that match. But his performance against Surrey, particularly in the second innings, suggested he has made significant progress.
“The first ball I operated with wasn’t swinging much, but we got it changed at the replacement started going around corners for me,” he said. “I hadn’t expected to play in the game, so I went into it not under any great pressure, which probably helped.
“Getting my maiden Championship wicket in the first innings took a monkey off my back and hopefully, I can now push on and get a few more.”
Kasey has represented England Under-19s and impressed, along with several other young Somerset players, in last season’s Royal London Cup, a competition he will surely feature regularly in again come August. His prowess with the bat has been demonstrated as an opener in this summer's Second XI T20 competition, with scores of 73 against Glamorgan and 63 not out against Warwickshire.
Aldridge certainly has the physique to cause problems with the ball and, in common with most rookie county professionals these days, lacks nothing in confidence.
“My ambition is to play Test cricket for England and internationally in all formats,” he told me. “I’d love to play in the Indian Premier League too. I think as a young player you have to aim high and I am looking to learn as much as possible at the earliest possible age.”
