Crop of top new talent
Youngsters shine in cup for Somerset
Director of cricket Andy Hurry has described Somerset’s Royal London Cup campaign as a success, even though it ended at the group stage.
I, for one, agree with him. If any proof were needed that the club’s future is in safe hands, it was delivered in spades by the crop of youngsters who grabbed the chance to parade their talents.
The competition saw five graduates from Somerset’s academy make their debuts, along with Kasey Aldridge, whose only previous first team experience had come as a Covid replacement in a County Championship game against Leicestershire.
Sonny Baker, Sam Young, Ned Leonard, James Rew and George Thomas were the other new faces. All enjoyed a measure of success, cheered on by enthusiastic crowds of between 3,000 and 5,000 at the Cooper Associates County Ground.
While numerous coaches have contributed to nurturing the outstanding crop of young players at Taunton, much of the credit must go to a man well known to Somerset and Gloucestershire supporters.
As academy director since 2014, Steve Snell has overseen the development of not only the group who have come to the fore in the Royal London Cup, but also Tom Banton, Tom Lammonby and Will Smeed, all selected to play in The Hundred.
Add Lewis Goldsworthy, now a first-team regular for Somerset at the age of 20, and it is no wonder that Snell is bursting with pride over the depth of young talent now pushing the senior professionals for their places.
I asked Steve for a brief assessment of the Royal London Cup debutants and was not surprised to hear some glowing references.
■ Sonny Baker (18-year-old pace bowler from Torquay). “Sonny is very athletic and extremely diligent in all aspects of his training, looking after himself like you would expect a senior professional to do.
He already hits the pitch hard and his pace is still increasing as he gets older and stronger. Put his work ethic together with his ability and you have a hugely exciting prospect.”
■ Kasey Aldridge (20-year-old allrounder from Bristol). “I remember Kasey taking a boundary catch at Bath Cricket Club for our Under-15 team and earmarking it as something really special.
“He has had a few peaks and troughs since then, including a serious back injury at 16, but he is talented with bat, ball and in the field. His height and pace mean he will be a genuine all-rounder and I can only see him getting better.” ■ Ned Leonard (19-year-old seamer from Hammersmith). “When I first watched Ned in a school match, he smashed a batsman on the helmet with an unbelievable quick ball.
“At the time, he was part of the Middlesex Emerging Players Programme, but his family were moving to Somerset and we took the opportunity to integrate him into our pathway.
“He is learning how tough firstteam cricket can be, but he is only just 19 and I am excited at the prospect of seeing where his genuine pace can take him.”
■ George Thomas (17-year-old batsman from Taunton). “George has impacted on every game he has played this season for our Under18s, the second XI or in schools cricket.
“He can hit the ball a long way, but equally impressive are his shot selection and calmness at the crease. He can also bowl some tidy overs and his opportunities in the first team will do wonders for his confidence,”
■ Sam Young (21-year-old batsman from Plymouth). “I saw Sam smack a hundred for the South West at the Bunbury Festival as a 15-year-old. When at his best he plays fearless cricket.
“Things didn’t quite go for him in the Royal London Cup, but there is a serious player waiting to emerge. I saw him make a great 80 against Surrey second XI, with Morne Morkel steaming in to bowl, and there is a lot more to come from him.”
■ James Rew (17-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman from London). “James is talented at a number of sports, including tennis and golf. But he has a really good understanding of cricket and a burning desire to win.
“His knowledge of the game at such a young age is very high and I believe he has a very big future in red and white-ball cricket. He has the aptitude, technique and resilience for a successful career.”
I can add that, having interviewed several of these fresh-faced youngsters (and feeling very old doing it), they display a maturity beyond their years, another benefit of academy training.
Snell knows from experience the difficulties his young guns will face in trying to launch careers as county players . After coming through the youth ranks at Hampshire, he was not considered good enough and spent a couple of seasons with MCC Young Cricketers before joining Gloucestershire and making his first class debut against Bangladesh A in 2005.
Steve remained with the club for five years, enjoying an excellent season in 2008, with a championship hundred against Worcestershire and eight half-centuries, before being released in 2010.
He then became first-team coach at Millfield School and played minor counties cricket before a surprise invitation to join Somerset as a player towards the end of the 2011 season when both their wicketkeepers, Craig Kieswetter and Jos Buttler, were away with England.
The county had qualified for the T20 Champions League in India and Snell grabbed the opportunity with both hands, earning the manof-the-match award for his 32 not out in a victory over Auckland at the start of the tournament.
From the beginning of his career, Steve had a passion for coaching. While at Gloucestershire, he became one of the youngest players ever to achieve the Level Four qualification.
After working outside the game for a while, he joined Somerset as second-team coach and academy director in 2014, vacating the former post to concentrate on the latter four years later. Now, together with a highly-rated coaching staff, including Greg Kennis, Andrew Griffiths, Matt Drakeley and Paul Tweddle before his move to work with the first team, Snell has built an impressive conveyor belt of home-produced players.
He is confident it will continue. “It’s a team effort and the club has invested a lot of money in its pathway system.
“All our matches from Under-12s to Under-18s are videoed and footage sent to the players.
“That enables us to identify the best youngsters at an early age and have them playing Under-18 cricket at the age of 15.
“Collaboration with schools and clubs is first class and we offer the lads a comprehensive grounding to prepare them for life as a professional cricketer.”
Warwickshire beat Royal London Cup holders Somerset by three wickets in a thriller at Edgbaston to end their hopes of qualification for the knockout stages.
The home side went into action with qualification already beyond them but their youngsters delivered an impressive victory driven by an all-round display from Matt Lamb.
Lamb’s List A-best bowling of four for 35 limited Somerset to 287 for eight after a third-wicket stand of 118 between Lewis Goldsworthy (79, 93 balls) and James Hildreth (72, 66) left them apparently heading for 300-plus.
The 25-year-old then scored 92 (103 balls) as the Bears reached 289 for seven with six balls to spare. At 108 for four, they were on the back foot but Somerset’s qualification bid was then unpicked by stands of 77 between Lamb and Dan Mousley and 88 between Lamb and Jacob Bethwell.
After choosing to bat, Somerset soon lost Sam Young to a sharp return catch by Tim Bresnan but Steven Davies (46, 54 balls) gave the innings early momentum before lifting Bethell to deep midwicket.
Goldsworthy, in his eighth List A appearance, and Hildreth, in his 220th, dovetailed nicely to add 118 in 20 overs. Hildreth passed 50 in 52 balls and was accelerating when he hoisted Craig Miles to deep square.
At 219 for three in the 40th over, Somerset looked set for 300-plus but, after Goldsworthy chipped Bethell to mid-wicket, the innings lost momentum. Lamb’s fiendish variations earned the 25-year-old his first List A wickets. Josh Davey then inflicted early damage on Warwickshire’s reply with two wickets in the third over. Rob Yates sliced to point and Will Rhodes nicked a superb delivery to wicketkeeper Davies. Ed Pollock sped to 44 (29 balls) but Somerset skipper Ben Green astutely kept the impressive Davey on and was rewarded when Pollock chipped to mid-wicket.
Michael Burgess made a fluent 38 (46 balls) but then also perished to a catch at mid-wicket, off Ned Leonard. That was 108 for four but Lamb and Mousley (37, 48 balls) added 77 in 15 overs and, after Mousley was bowled by George Drissell, Bethell settled immediately.
Somerset’s young side fought valiantly and when Lamb and Bethell sent up catches with 12 still needed, the game was back in the balance but Brookes and Bresnan saw the Bears home with six balls to spare.
Somerset captain Ben Green said: “It was quite a slow pitch and I thought in the end we actually did quite well to get up to 280/290. I think that was around par.
“Then we were a little bit inconsistent with the ball but they only needed 30-odd from the last seven overs and we took it to the last over so that showed good character.
“I’ve really enjoyed captaining the side. When I’ve been out there with the boys I have thoroughly enjoyed it, I have just tried to be myself and I hope the boys say good things about the way I’ve done things, but I am now very happy to hand the mantle back to Tom Abell.”