Thomas Benjamin Abell (born 5 March 1994) is an English first-class cricketer who plays for Somerset County Cricket Club. Primarily a right-handed batter, 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. He was appointed Somerset's County Championship skipper for the 2017 season. 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. 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, and received the Wetherell Award, presented by The Cricket Society to the leading all rounder in School's Cricket, in 2012. 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. 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. While at school he also had a trial for the England men's national hockey team at under-16 level. Abell played extensively for Somerset's youth teams, appearing at Under-14, Under-15, Under-17 and Under-19 level. He made his senior club cricket debut for Taunton in the 2009 season, aged just 15, scoring an unbeaten 22. 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, in 2013 he