Tom Abell praised England’s Headingley hero Jack Leach after the spinner was again involved in an important late partnership to this time get Somerset over the line in a tense Rothesay County Championship win at Hampshire.
Abell was named Rothesay County Championship Player of the Round after he hit the winning runs and reached his century to send Somerset 15 points clear at the top of Division One.
But it was Leach, unbeaten on six at the other end, that Abell put the spotlight on after Somerset chased down 287.
“Any time you win a game like that it’s always pretty special,” Abell told ecb.co.uk.
“I’m very close with Leachy [Jack Leach] and to get over the line with him out in the middle was a very special feeling.
“Hampshire have got an unbelievable attack and we were going to have to absorb a lot of pressure. We’ve had some pretty tough days at the Utilita Bowl over the years that were pretty fresh in the memory.
“We had a few good partnerships that sort of broke the back of the chase and when we got it down to double figures, the runs started to go down a little quicker. It was a very nervy day and I don’t think we were ever comfortable in that chase.”
Abell is part of a talented and in-form Somerset batting group, led by England prospect James Rew who is currently top of the leaderboard with seven votes.
Division One leading runscorer Jamie Smith, whose Surrey side had a bye, is second with five votes ahead of Abell and Middlesex’s Leus du Plooy on four votes.
Rew has been a standout so far this summer with 379 runs at an average of 75.80, including a century against champions Nottinghamshire, before posting half-centuries in each innings at the Utilita Bowl.
“Rewy [James Rew] has led the way,” Abell said. “He’s been playing on a different level to everyone else. Again in this game he just showed his class.
“He deserves all the plaudits and the headlines, but credit to him, he doesn’t get too carried away and he keeps pretty level-headed. He’s been unbelievable and has played some phenomenal knocks for us already this year.”
Abell, who also started the season with a ton against Nottinghamshire, scored 49 in Somerset’s first innings in Southampton and feels like he is in good form but isn’t taking it for granted.
“I’m probably playing as well as I ever have,” he said.
“Any player wants to start the season well and as a batter you go through these waves and have your ups and downs and I’m very aware it can change very quickly.
“I’m pretty happy with how I’m going at the moment but of course I want more and to back it up and keep playing innings that put us in good positions.”
Somerset has never won the County Championship, but after a quick start Abell says it’s a long road ahead.
“We’ve been notoriously slow starters historically, so it’s nice to have begun the season well. It’s obviously very early days, we’re only three games in,” he said.
“There are some seriously strong sides in Division One across the board, so I think it’s going to be a really competitive year.
“We feel like we’re playing good cricket and confidence comes with winning. We’re in a good place and hopefully we can carry on this run of good performances.”
Round Three saw just four matches across the Rothesay County Championship with the other players to receive maximum votes including Warwickshire’s Australia all-rounder Beau Webster, for his 91 and second-innings two-for in the Bears’ win over Essex.
James Sales also earned three votes for his 164 in the draw against Middlesex, and Lancashire’s George Balderson for his nine wickets as the Red Rose went 11 points clear at the top of Division Two following their win at Gloucestershire.
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