Somerset are planning to use Justin Langer as a mentor for their young players.

The former Australia star confirmed his upcoming retirement from professional cricket this week.

Somerset CCC's Championship match at home to Worcestershire, starting this morning, will be the final first-class fixture of his 19-year career.

Langer will pass the captaincy on to Marcus Trescothick but Somerset want to keep the 38-year-old involved with their youth development.

Somerset wicketkeeper Craig Kieswetter's significant progress this summer – he has scored more than 1,000 runs for the first time – followed a winter working under Langer's mentoring in Perth, Western Australia.

The club's director of cricket Brian Rose, a former England opener, said: "I personally had two formative years playing grade cricket in Australia and that was very important.

"We have seen what JL's programme did for Craig Kieswetter and we would like to retain that. Then we would like to bring JL back here for a few weeks every summer to continue that mentoring process."

Langer is keen to stay involved. He said: "I will look back with a lot of satisfaction. It is a pity it can't last forever and hopefully I will have some association with Somerset, whether it is next season or years down the track.

"I love the county – they have been so great to me cricket-wise. The supporters have been awesome. I love living here. When I fly home in a few weeks' time it will be with a heavy heart.

"I have been talking to (chief executive) Richard Gould and (chairman) Andy Nash for some time now about staying involved in the county and they are keen to do that."

Langer admitted retiring from the county game was a harder decision than when he called time on his international career in January 2007.

"I had to balance up a lot of things," he said. "I have been playing cricket a long time and of course it is sad not to play. It is hard to let go of it because I have been doing it since I was a little kid. I love it and it is harder to retire from county cricket than Test cricket because that is the end of my career. It is hard to let go but I had to do it sooner or later."

Langer paid tribute to the work of coach Andy Hurry and predicted Trescothick would make a fine captain.

"There is so much to be proud of," he said. "Andy Hurry has done such a magnificent job moulding this team. It has been a privilege to work with him and also guys like Marcus, who is going to be a fantastic captain, Andy Caddick and some of the senior players." Somerset will finish second in County Championship Division One if they take as many points from the Worcestershire game this week as Nottinghamshire do from their final match with Sussex next week.

"If you can't come first then it would be a real tribute to the team if we can finish second, particularly playing on a wicket where we have had one miracle result all season," said Langer. "It would be great for the team and a tribute to the hard work of the players and coaching staff."

Somerset will give a fitness test to Zander de Bruyn this morning. The South African injured his groin making a superb 109 against Worcestershire in Monday's Pro40 game.

Langer said: "For me, you always classify a really good player if he can play an on-drive and those on-drives Zander played off the left-armer were almost picture perfect."

Youngster Jos Buttler stands by to play if de Bruyn is not fit but paceman Mark Turner has been ruled out.

Somerset CCC (from): Trescothick, Suppiah, Langer, Hildreth, de Bruyn, Kieswetter, Trego, Phillips, Stiff, Waller, Thomas, Willoughby, Banks.