Somerset Cricket Club have lost the services of key players Jekon Edness and Jacobi Robinson.

The experienced pair have opted to return to childhood club Western Stars.

All-rounder Robinson and wicketkeeper Edness both captained Somerset in the league and Cup Match, with Edness guiding the club to three Cup Match triumphs, including a first at Wellington Oval in more than three decades.

“These guys have had a lot of success in their careers and their reason for leaving is to spend some time at their home club while they are still taking cricket seriously,” Jeff Richardson, the Somerset coach and uncle of Robinson, said.

“Life is obviously changing for them, becoming parents, so their priorities have shifted somewhat and it’s an understandable decision in my eyes. I remember when they were kids running around when I was playing. Every opportunity they had they would run on the field with a bat and tennis ball and have a little knock when there was a break in play.”

The departures of Robinson and Edness has created opportunity for others to stake a claim.

“The positive spin to this is that it gives us an opportunity to give youngsters a chance to prove and improve themselves,” said Richardson, the former Western Stars and Somerset Cup Match batsman.

“Another positive side of this, in my opinion, is that young players don’t play enough cricket in Bermuda. There are many clubs that have young players in their team but because of the strength of the team they are not getting the opportunity to play.

“At Somerset it’s all on these youngsters because that’s all we have to chose from, so they are going to have an opportunity to play regular cricket. We are also a Cup Match club and obviously you stand a better chance [of selection] if you play for the club.”

Two youngsters set for plenty of action for Somerset this season are leg spinner Jade Morrissey and seam bowler Micah Simons, who have joined from neighbouring Willow Cuts.

“We’ve picked one or two youngsters from other clubs and the good thing about that is they played regularly for their former clubs, so they have some experience and shouldn’t be surprised by anything.”

Another promising Cuts player linked with a move to Somerset is left-handed batsman Soloman Burrows.

“That’s speculation for me until the paperwork has been finalised,” Richardson said. “I’ve seen people change their minds at the last minute before, so until the paperwork is in, and it’s a done deal, it’s speculation in my eyes.”

Somerset achieved a league and double last season, winning the First Division to gain promotion and the First Division Twenty20 competition.

n Bermuda all-rounder Kamau Leverock bowled 13 overs for 46 runs for Cardiff MCCU against Glamorgan on day two of the three-day match in Cardiff yesterday.

In the rain-hit match, Glamorgan reached 342 for seven in their first innings with Cardiff yet to bat. Leverock was the first-change bowler. Glamorgan were led by captain Jacques Rudolph’s top knock of 142, his 50th first-class hundred.

Leverock and his Cardiff MCCU team-mates’ final first-class match against Hampshire in Southampton starts on Sunday.