Tom Abell

Tom Abell

Abell representing Somerset in 2015.
Personal information
Full name Thomas Benjamin Abell
Born (1994-03-05) 5 March 1994
Taunton, Somerset, England
Height 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Batting style Right-handed
Bowling style Right-arm medium
Role Top order batsman
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
2014–present Somerset (squad no. 28)
First-class debut 15 August 2014 Somerset v Warwickshire
List A debut 29 July 2015 Somerset v Durham
Career statistics
Competition FC LA
Matches 21 7
Runs scored 1,130 202
Batting average 32.28 33.66
100s/50s 1/8 0/1
Top score 131 80
Balls bowled 46 –
Wickets 1 –
Bowling average 33.00 –
5 wickets in innings 0 –
10 wickets in match 0 n/a
Best bowling 1/11 –
Catches/stumpings 13/– 2/–
Source: CricketArchive, 4 May 2016

Thomas Benjamin Abell (born 5 March 1994) is an English cricketer who plays for Somerset County Cricket Club.

Primarily a right-handed batsman, he also bowls right-arm medium pace. Abell enjoyed a prolific cricket record while at Taunton School, where in 2012 he accumulated seven centuries and passed 50 in every innings he played at an average of 193, and he was named 2013 Young Wisden Schools Cricketer of the Year. He made his Somerset first-class debut against Warwickshire in August 2014, scoring 95 in his first innings.

Career

Early life and career

Abell was born in Taunton, and educated at the independent Taunton School. He made his debut for the Taunton School's 1st XI side aged 14, where he became the youngest cricketer at the school to reach the 1000-run landmark at the age of just 16.[1] By the time he left school he had scored a record 3,630 runs for the first XI, and as captain of the first team he finished the 2012 season with 1,156 runs at an average of 193 accumulating seven centuries and passing 50 in every innings he played, and also took 19 wickets average of 15. His performances led him to be named 2013 Young Wisden Schools Cricketer of the Year,[2] and received the Wetherell Award, presented by The Cricket Society to the leading all rounder in School’s Cricket, in 2012.[3] As well as starring for the Taunton School cricket team, he also captained the school hockey team to a second consecutive undefeated season, and also represented the school rugby, rugby sevens and indoor hockey, in which the school reached the semi-finals at the national finals.[4] His all-round sporting successes led him to be nominated for "Male Pupil of the Year" at the Aviva/Telegraph School Sport Matters Awards, where he finished as runner-up to British Olympic diver Tom Daley.[5] While at school he also had a trial for the England men's national hockey team at under-16 level.[6]

Abell played extensively for Somerset's youth teams, appearing at Under-14, Under-15, Under-17 and Under-19 level.[7] He made his senior club cricket debut for Taunton in the 2009 season, aged just 15, scoring an unbeaten 22.[8] At the age of 17, Abell scored 150 in a losing cause as he attempted to chase down a total in excess of 300 against Warminster,[8] in 2013 he scored 768 runs for Taunton at an average of 76.80 and followed this up, in 2014 with 770 runs for Taunton in the West of England Premier League, with a highest score of 185* at an average of 128.33 as he helped the club earn promotion.[8] Abell made his first appearances for the Somerset Second XI in 2010,[9] Abell was named Second XI player of the year in 2013,[10] after he amassed 1,234 runs at an average of 40.13, including four centuries and five scores of 50 or more.[11]

After leaving Taunton School, Abell went on to study a degree in Flexible Combined Honours, Sports Science and French, at the University of Exeter.[12] While at university he led the men's first team to the finals of the BUCS outdoor championships, and the indoor league title.[13]

First-team breakthrough

He made his Somerset first-class debut against Warwickshire in August 2014, having been called up to the team as a late replacement for the county's overseas player Alviro Petersen who had suffered a knee injury. He scored 95 in his first innings, and was the last man out for Somerset with the total on 286, narrowly missing out on the becoming the first Somerset-born player, since Harold Gimblett in 1935, to score a century on their County Championship debut.[14][15] Abell maintained his place in the Somerset side until the end of the season scoring two further half-centuries, scoring exactly 50 against Middlesex,[16] and 75 in Somerset's final match of the season away at champions Yorkshire,[17] he finished the season with 292 runs at an average of 41.[18] At the end of the season Abell was one of four Somerset players to be awarded a new one year contract.[19]

Abell batting against Hampshire, in the innings in which he made his maiden first-class century.

After breaking into the Somerset side batting at number four, Abell spent the 2015 season as Marcus Trescothick's regular opening partner.[20] His season began poorly with a second ball duck in Somerset's opening match against the Durham MCC University side.[21] Having missed games during the early part of the season due to university commitments, Abell made his first half-century of the season against defending champions Yorkshire, on 25 May 2015, he also took his maiden first-class wicket in the match having Yorkshire bowler Jack Brooks caught behind for 24, he ended the innings with bowling analysis of 1/11 from 4.4 overs.[22] In early June 2015, Abell was awarded a new four year contract extension with Somerset.[23] On 15 June 2015, Abell carried his bat through Somerset's innings against Nottinghamshire scoring 76 from 150 balls out of the Somerset's total of 200.[24] Abell also scored a further half century in Somerset's successful fourth innings chase of 401, the second highest in the county's history, to record his first victory in a Somerset shirt.[25][26] He followed this up with a further half century away at Hampshire in Somerset's next Championship game,[27] and scored an unbeaten 21 to guide Somerset to a nine-wicket victory.[28] On 29 July 2015, Abell made his list A debut for Somerset against Durham, scoring 23 in Somerset's seven wicket defeat.[29] He made his maiden list A half century against Yorkshire, scoring 80 from 112 balls as Somerset chased down 178 to win by six wickets.[30] Somerset were knocked out of the 2015 Royal London One-Day Cup in the group stage, with Abell scoring 202 runs in the competition at an average of 33.[31] Having suffered a number of near misses, Abell scored his maiden first-class century for Somerset against Hampshire, on 10 September 2015. He scored 131 from 203 balls, in a partnership of 272 with Marcus Trescothick.[32][33] At the end of the 2015 season Abell won the LV= Breakthrough Player Award, for his performances in the County Championship.[34][35] He ended the season with 726 runs in the Championship at an average of 36, with one century and five half centuries.[36] Abell spent the 2015–16 winter playing grade cricket for Fremantle District Cricket Club in Western Australia,[37] and had a highly successful winter twice winning the Kookaburra player of the round award,[38] in total across all formats he scored 641 runs at an average of 40 while he took 21 wickets with the ball at an average of 18.[39]

References

  1. ↑ "Thomas Abell from Taunton School excelling at cricket, rugby and hockey". The Telegraph. 20 May 2010. Retrieved 26 March 2016.
  2. ↑ Henderson, Douglas (2013). "Schools Cricket, 2012". In Lawrence, Booth. Wisden Cricketer's Almanack 2013 (150 ed.). Alton, Hampshire: John Wisden & Co. Ltd. pp. 769–771. ISBN 978-1-4081-7565-1.
  3. ↑ "Tom Abell wins Cricket Society Award". Somerset County Cricket Club. 6 April 2013. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
  4. ↑ "Thomas up for top sports award". Taunton School. Retrieved 26 March 2016.
  5. ↑ "Taunton student comes second to Olympics diving star Tom Daley". Somerset County Gazette. 23 November 2012. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
  6. ↑ "Hockey stars at Taunton School". Taunton School. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  7. ↑ "Miscellaneous matches played by Tom Abell (105)". CricketArchive. Retrieved 26 March 2016.
  8. 1 2 3 "Ready and Abell: Somerset make long term investment in Tom's promise". The In-cider. Retrieved 26 March 2016.
  9. ↑ "Tom Abell – Playing staff". Somerset County Cricket Club. Retrieved 26 March 2016.
  10. ↑ "Awards Ball a Great Success!". Somerset County Cricket Club. 4 October 2013. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
  11. ↑ "Tom Abell – a real success story for 2013". Somerset County Cricket Club. 10 September 2013. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
  12. ↑ "Abell heads to South Africa". University of Exeter. 21 January 2014. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
  13. ↑ "Abell delivers in Somerset debut". University of Exeter. 20 August 2014. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
  14. ↑ Wigmore, Tim (16 August 2014). "Abell Somerset's latest local star". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
  15. ↑ "Somerset v Warwickshire: Tom Abell hits 95 for hosts on debut". BBC Sport. 16 August 2014. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
  16. ↑ Dobell, George (15 September 2014). "Craig Kieswetter puts career fears behind him". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  17. ↑ Hopps, David (24 September 2014). "Nick Compton rains on Yorkshire's parade". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  18. ↑ "Records / LV= County Championship Division One, 2014 - Somerset / Batting and bowling averages". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  19. ↑ "Somerset: Craig Meschede one of four to sign new deals". BBC Sport. 1 September 2014. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
  20. ↑ Cotton, Steve (22 January 2015). "Openers are the priority, says Maynard". Western Daily Press. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  21. ↑ "Somerset v Durham Marylebone Cricket Club University in 2015". CricketArchive. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  22. ↑ "LV= County Championship Division One, Somerset v Yorkshire at Taunton, 24–27 May 2015". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 26 March 2016.
  23. ↑ "George Dockrell: Sussex sign Somerset spinner on loan". BBC Sport. 13 June 2015. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
  24. ↑ Miller, Andrew (15 June 2015). "Matthew Carter creates slice of spin-bowling history". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 26 March 2016.
  25. ↑ Miller, Andrew (16 June 2015). "Chase could be seminal moment for Somerset". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 26 March 2016.
  26. ↑ Miller, Andrew (17 June 2015). "Peter Trego soars as Somerset seal comeback". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 26 March 2016.
  27. ↑ Wilde, Freddie (21 June 2015). "Tom Abell short of ton again but edges day for Somerset". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 26 March 2016.
  28. ↑ Wilde, Freddie (23 June 2015). "Gareth Berg flourish cannot disguise Hampshire's plight". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 26 March 2016.
  29. ↑ "Durham cruise on Stoneman-Mustard stand". ESPNcricinfo. 29 July 2015. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
  30. ↑ "Lees captaincy trial begins with defeat". ESPNcricinfo. 5 August 2015. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
  31. ↑ "Royal London One-Day Cup, 2015 - Somerset / Records / List A matches / Batting and bowling averages". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  32. ↑ "County Championship: Somerset pile up 569-5 against Hampshire". BBC Sport. 10 September 2015. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
  33. ↑ Edwards, Paul (10 September 2015). "Abell has his day as Somerset make hay". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
  34. ↑ "Somerset batsman Tom Abell wins LV Breakthrough Player award". The Guardian. 22 September 2015. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
  35. ↑ "Willing and Abell". All Out Cricket. 2 November 2015. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
  36. ↑ "LV= County Championship Division One, 2015 - Somerset / Records / Batting and bowling averages". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  37. ↑ "Welcome Tom Abell". Freemantle District Cricket Club. 23 September 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  38. ↑ "Abell Wins Kookaburra Player Of The Round". WACA. 21 December 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  39. ↑ "My Cricket - Thomas Abell". Cricket Australia. Retrieved 3 April 2016.

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