UP and down the country, fans are getting ready for the return of Twenty20 cricket.

Some are running for cover, while the rest are heading to the stands — it’s the sports version of marmite.

With Worcestershire Royals beginning their Friends Life t20 tournament at Lancashire Lightning on Friday, one player is relishing the start of the big-hitting competition.

Despite having made his second team debut for Somerset at the age of 15, all-rounder Gareth Andrew is proof that to succeed you only need to get up one more time than you are knocked down.

It was nearly 12 years ago that the Yeovil-born player burst on to the scene but, now 27, Andrew admits he is only now fulfilling the potential many in the game knew that he possessed.

Yet, while still striving to improve his game, he has hit the top ten of the Professional Cricketers Association Most Valuable Players’ list.

“It’s nice to have that recognition,” said Andrew, who was ranked eighth in the country before the start of the Nottinghamshire game yesterday.

“It’s good that people are now seeing me as an all-rounder rather than someone who bowls and bats a bit.

“So to see the rankings it is a nice marker to show how well you are doing — I just want to keep on improving and maybe even move up the list.”

No longer considered as a player still learning his trade, Andrew, who played for England under 19s alongside current Test stars Alastair Cook, Tim Bresnan and Ravi Bopara, is coming into his own.

Batting at number seven in the LV= County Championship side, he is averaging 27.75, while he has picked 21 wickets.

In the Clydesdale Bank 40, his eight wickets have come at 22.37.

Yet, now Andrew is hoping to shine in the shorter form of the game with both the ball and his Mongoose bat (inset).

The player has moved up and down the Worcestershire batting order to help utilise the power plays.

“I’m really looking forward to the Twenty 20,” he said.

“Not only will it give us a bit of break from the championship, hopefully it will give us a chance to build up some momentum.

“Selfishly, though, it is a chance to have a good bat with the Mongoose.”

But one thing Andrew knows is that he must reduce the number of runs he concedes when bowling.

“That is something I know that I have to work on,” he added. “When you’ve got your senior bowlers like Damien Wright, Alan Richardson and Matt Mason building the pressure it is vital as the other seamer to keep that going.”