Ben Green to captain Somerset in Royal London Cup

The 23-year-old has made 20 appearances for the club in all three formats since graduating from the Somerset academy in 2016

Ben Green will captain Somerset in this year’s Royal London Cup.

The 23-year-old allrounder has made 20 appearances for the club in all three formats since graduating from the Somerset academy in 2016.

Green, who previously represented Devon at age-group level, has made nine appearances for Somerset in the 2021 T20 Blast, scoring 85 runs and taking one wicket, and has previously captained the second XI.

Commenting on his appointment, Green said: "I’m really excited and I can’t wait to get going. It’s a great opportunity and I’m absolutely over the moon. It’s a huge honour and I don’t think it’s quite sunk in yet. To be in the same position as some of the greats of the game who have captained Somerset is a tremendous privilege.

"I’m really looking forward to it and I’ll endeavour to lead by example and be a calming presence. We have some really experienced players who I can lean on if necessary and we’ve got a really competitive squad with a rich mixture of experience and very talented high-potential players who will be really hungry to impress and showcase their talent in front of the Somerset faithful. That gives us a good chance of defending the title.

"It’s a huge boost to know that the club are showing this faith in me and it’s a real opportunity for me to develop. To be recognised as someone who could lead this club is a huge honour."

Meanwhile, Somerset’s one-day coach, Paul Tweddle, backed Green to follow in the footsteps of Lewis Gregory and Tom Abell, commenting: "Ben possesses a lot of the characteristics that are going to make him a successful captain. He has proved that in the second XI over a number of years. His cricket knowledge is exceptional, and he has the ability to stay calm under pressure. He has a wise head on his young shoulders.

"He is very methodical in everything that he does, and he has learned well from great role models like Tom Abell and Lewis Gregory. He will draw from their experiences whilst still being his own man. We all believe that he will make a very good captain."