Somerset sign young off-spin talent Shoaib Bashir

The 18-year-old right-arm off-spinner, who plays National County cricket for Berkshire, featured twice for Somerset in the Second XI County Championship this season taking nine wickets at an average of just 14.11 with a best of five for 44 against Warwickshire.

After signing for the County, he said: “I’m delighted to have signed my first contract and I’m really looking forward to the season ahead. It means a lot because I’ve been working really hard for this. I’ve been playing cricket since I was seven years old and it’s always been my dream to be a professional cricketer, so to sign a professional contract really is a dream come true.”

“I’ll be working hard to develop and improve all aspects of my game, and being around a professional environment will definitely motivate me to work harder than ever to make sure that I can perform to the best of my ability.”

“I would like to thank Andy Hurry and the Somerset family for believing in me and giving me this fantastic opportunity. Finally, I would like to thank my family for their ongoing support, especially my uncle Saj, my mum and dad, my brother and my two late grandads, Dadabu and Abee, who I lost in the last month. I promise to do you all proud inshallah.”

Somerset Director of Cricket, Andy Hurry added: “We were extremely impressed by Shoaib during the time that he spent in our Second XI towards the end of the season. Within that period, he showcased the levels of skill and control with the ball that he is capable of delivering. He threatened the batters consistently through deception, variation, turn and bounce which, with further development and opportunity, is really exciting for him and the Club.

“He will be spending the winter playing club cricket in Australia where we will be monitoring his progress carefully. He will join up with the squad in March, and we look forward to welcoming him back to the Cooper Associates County Ground for the 2023 season.”