Tom Banton signs new Somerset deal

The England white-ball batter has been part of Welsh Fire's poor Hundred campaign

Tom Banton has signed a new contract to remain with Somerset until at least the end of the 2024 season, ending speculation around his future.

Still only 23, Banton has already made 90 appearances at county level, as well as featuring for England in white-ball cricket and around the world on the franchise circuit, although he has struggled to rekindle the same form that saw him burst onto the scene.

"We've got a lot of good young players coming through and that provides good competition for places," he said. "It keeps you on your toes and I feel that the club is in a good position to be challenging on all fronts over the next few years.

"We've come close to winning the Blast in recent seasons and it's a dream of mine to win the County Championship with Somerset.

"I remember lifting the Royal London Cup at Lord's and singing Blackbird in front of the Somerset fans and you could tell how much it meant to everyone. The following that we have is awesome and wherever you go in Somerset people always want to talk to you about cricket."

^{Tom Banton has been part of Welsh Fire's disappointing Hundred campaign (Dan Mullan/Getty Images)}

There had been suggestions that Banton might look to move on from his home county, but the renewal of his deal comes not long after the retirement of James Hildreth. He was a £125,000 draft signing for Welsh Fire in The Hundred but struggled for form as his team went winless. 

"To have secured the services of such a talented player is a genuine statement of intent regarding what we are trying to achieve as a club," added Andy Hurry, Somerset's director of cricket.

"People speak a lot about his white-ball game, and rightly so, but he has also been continually working on developing his red-ball game and it was great to see the emotion released when he made his maiden first-class hundred at Chelmsford recently. That showed exactly what that 126 meant to him and how importantly he valued it.

"We all know that Tom has the ability to really put opposition bowlers under pressure across any format. We are excited to see his continued development and to have the opportunity to work with him over the next few years."

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