SOMERSET director of cricket, Matt Maynard has backed Tom Abell to make a telling contribution at the top of the order in this season’s Royal London One Day Cup, which gets under on Sunday.

The 21-year-old, who is yet to feature in a List A match, will open the batting for Somerset when they take on Derbyshire at Taunton on Sunday - and before that, could also feature in the remaining T20 Blast fixtures against Hampshire and Middlesex on Thursday and Friday.

Abell was left stranded on 88 in Somerset’s second innings, as they crashed to a seven-wicket defeat at Warwickshire on Tuesday – and Maynard has backed the youngster to replicate his impressive County Championship form in the one-day arena.

Maynard said: “Tom Abell will play against Derbyshire this weekend and he will open the batting.

“He’s in great form at the moment and is a guy who could bat through and not only get a hundred, but go on and get a big score.

“There’s a good chance Tom will play in one of the two T20 games this week, as well.”

Jack Leach is also expected to play against Derbyshire on Sunday following his impressive form in second XI cricket. 

Leach scored a century and took five wickets as Somerset wrapped up an innings victory over Nottinghamshire last week.