Come wrong, go long!

That was the short yet stern statement made by Somerset opening bat Jermaine Warner in the aftermath of his team’s lopsided win over Flatts at Lords last weekend.

Warner helped himself to a maiden century (136) in top flight cricket and featured in a 106-run opening stand along with another team veteran Dwight Basden.

Yet rather than get ahead of himself, the 36-year-old batsman is determined to keep his feet planted firmly on the ground and well on top of the bowling this summer.

“I was a bit over the moon but I’m not going to get carried away because it’s still early while my main goal is to try and help the team win some major honours this season,” Warner told The Royal Gazette.

The right-handed bat began his cricket career at nearby Willow Cuts in the former Shell Youth Leagues before moving across the street to join coach Winston Reid at Somerset in 1991 — a union which Warner believes assisted his development.

“I played a lot of cricket when I was younger under Reid and we all respect his knowledge of the game. He helped me a lot back in the day and it’s great to be back up there with him,” the soon-to-be father of two said.

“We have good harmony up at Somerset and I’ve really enjoyed myself from the moment we started pre-season training.”

Having savoured a maiden century in senior cricket, Warner is now hoping to continue on in the same vein and so far appears to be enjoying his return to Somerset following a four-year playing stint at Bailey’s Bay.

“I’ve been putting in a lot of extra physical work and have set myself personal goals and really just want to enjoy my cricket this summer,” he said.

With changes expected to be made in Somerset’s Cup Match team this year following their second straight defeat to champions St.George’s last summer, naturally one might’ve pencilled Warner in as a likely candidate to challenge for a spot.

Warner, however, insists Cup Match is not his main priority and is instead keen to keep focused on his own game and allow the chips to fall where they may.

“Going back to Somerset just for Cup Match was not in the picture. My goal was to go back and try and do my best and try and help the team win major honours,” he added.

Another veteran batsman enjoying early season success with the bat at Somerset is Dwight Basden who contributed 56 runs — his third half-century in the last four innings — during a century opening stand with Warner that helped lay the foundation for the West Ender’s innings and the defeat of Flatts.

“I’m feeling pretty good and I attribute my form to a higher level of training,” said the 34-year-old Basden, who also holds coach Reid in high esteem.

“He (Reid) doesn’t settle for second best but instead wants to bring the best out of his players. And I think this helps to give the players more determination to do well and reach their full potential.”

But unlike Warner, Basden makes no secret of the fact that he intends to fight for a spot on Somerset’s Cup Match team and feels he also has something to offer the country at the national level.

“It’s always been a goal of mine, since watching the likes of Colin Blades and Tyrone Smiths, to play in Cup Match. And having already been a reserve gives you even more incentive to try and make the team,” said Basden, nephew of former Somerset Cup Match skipper Dexter Basden.

Somerset coach Reid, meanwhile, has placed high expectations on his team this summer and reckons their current success stems from harmony among the ranks. Somerset remain unbeaten in all forms of domestic cricket so far this season under newly-appointed skipper Jacobi Robinson — and perhaps on course for long-overdue success. “We have a group of guys that spend a lot of time together and so when you come into the team you are made to feel as though you have been there for the last five or seven years and I think this is what helped,” the former Bermuda, Warwick and Somerset Cup Match star batsman said.

He also paid tribute to Warner’s maiden century in senior cricket.

“I feel that we have players in the team all capable of scoring a century in every game and last week Jermaine was determined to be the one,” he said.

“Anyone that comes into the team is made to feel as though they are a part of it and I think this has helped Jermaine a lot. I thought he had a very good knock against Flatts because he really put his down and batted.

“But I think we have a good nucleus of seniors and youth in the team and our aim is to continue rotating our youngsters to give them a chance to play at that level.”