 Hildreth is pleased to bat alongside class players like Trescothick (r) |
Millfield School, an esteemed seat of learning set in the Somerset countryside, has produced its fair share of cricketers over the years.
England's chairman of selectors David Graveney, Test players Ben Hollioake and Simon Jones and former Somerset captain Peter Roebuck all spent their formative years there.
Now Millfield can take credit for supplying their local county cricket club with one of the most talented of young English batsmen, James Hildreth.
"I started playing for Northamptonshire in the very lower age groups and then went to Millfield when I was 10," the 22-year-old Milton Keynes-born batsman told BBC Sport.
"I worked my way through the Millfield ranks and then it was a kind of natural progression through the Somerset ranks."
That progression included a double century for England Under-19s in 2004, the same year as his maiden first-class century in only his second match, against a Durham attack featuring Pakistan pace spearhead Shoaib Akhtar.
 | He has got shots all around the wicket |
Former South Africa and Somerset opener Jimmy Cook, who scored more than 7,500 runs including 28 centuries in only three seasons with the county, has been a useful mentor.
"He came for a couple of weeks last year, he's already been over this season and I think he wants to come back later and have a look at the progression of the batsmen."
Some technical changes in the close season have led to even greater success in 2007, with four centuries in the opening seven Championship matches, including 127 at Middlesex and 163 in the most recent match with Leicestershire.
"It was a combination of people who all talked about being still when the ball is being released," he said.
"I've tried to incorporate that into my game with a trigger movement and then be still once the bowler releases the ball, whereas before I was on the move and it was getting me into trouble."
Another key influence has been club captain Justin Langer, who has been an inspirational figure having retired from the demands of Test cricket after last winter's Ashes series.
"His intensity and passion for the game has brought so much not just to me but to the whole club.
"He has his own thoughts about batting which I like listening to as well, about being as relaxed as possible and still."
| He's got such ability that he plays quite freely but he's now more able to pace an innings |
Marcus Trescothick is also a permanent fixture at the club as he continues his sabbatical from international cricket, and big-hitting Australian Cameron White is another prominent part of a powerhouse batting line-up.
"It's brilliant to have world-class players around the dressing room, their guidance is awesome. You want to stay out in the middle just to watch them bat!"
Hildreth has had one notable taste of international cricket, when he took a catch to dismiss Australia captain Ricky Ponting when fielding as a substitute in the Lord's Test during the epic 2005 Ashes series.
With new coach Peter Moores prepared to consider in-form county players, he is hopeful of winning an England call-up in the future.
"I have not had much to do with Peter Moores but he has obviously been around the county set-up and I'm sure that does give confidence to county players, if they are putting in good performances, to make the next step up."
Somerset director of cricket Brian Rose believes a maturity in Hildreth's approach is the main reason for his consistently high scores.
"He has got shots all around the wicket which in a way, although it may sound strange, has been a bit of a disadvantage," the former Somerset skipper commented.
"He's got such ability that he plays quite freely but he's now more able to pace an innings.
"What impressed me with his hundred at Lord's, in quite adverse conditions, was his ability to stick in there.
"Also at Taunton against Leicester he went from 78 to 100 virtually in singles so it's a combination of a mental process with sharpening his technique."
The school motto at Millfield is Molire Molendo, which roughly translates into drive forward by grinding.
Hildreth is likely to grind down many a bowling attack with his drives in the next few years.
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