Blackwell's Somerset verdict
Blackwell always struggled to take big hauls on the unresponsive surfaces at the County Ground but grabbed five wickets for new champions-elect Durham against Somerset CCC at the Riverside yesterday.
Somerset were 174 all out thanks to Blackwell's five for seven before Durham closed on 110-3 in reply.
"Bowling at Taunton for the last nine years hasn't been easy for me as a wicket-taking spinner," he said. "It has been more of a holding role.
"Here we have wickets that have offered a bit of spin and bounce, which has been nice for me.
"To come up here to a new club and fit in like I have done has been perfect for me.
"I don't really want to go into any details (about leaving Somerset). It was a pure cricketing move and I want to win a Championship with Durham and it would have been very difficult to have done that with Somerset with the wickets that they produce.
"I wanted to play for England and I had a chat with Somerset and we decided it was best for me to go and play somewhere else. If I didn't still hold England hopes then I wouldn't still be playing."
Somerset skipper Justin Langer hailed Blackwell's display but insisted his team are still in the game.
"He bowled well and they are the sort of days you wish he was still at Somerset," he said. "He will have been determined and he bowled really well.
"There was a lot talked about his departure at the end of last season and he decided that it was best for him to leave and he has done brilliantly.
"We are definitely still in the game – this is one of the hardest wickets I have batted on. We were none for 89 and all out 174, so it is tough. If we come out with some good energy we are still in it."
Langer was struck two painful blows by England's Graham Onions during his 12.
Blackwell said: "Justin will have loved that. He got hit a couple of times and he will have been more determined not to get out to Graham.
"We will have to show plenty of his determination to go past Somerset CCC's score."
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