JAMES Rew confirmed his emergence as the brightest batting prospect in the LV= Insurance County Championship by becoming Somerset’s youngest ever first class double centurion on the second day of the match with Hampshire at Taunton.

At the age of just 19 years and 181 days, Rew extended his overnight score of 77 to 221 before being last man out in his side’s first innings total of 500, having walked to the crease on day one with the scoreboard reading 41 for four.

The double centurion James Rew said: “I’m lost for words really and don’t know what to say. The Hampshire attack challenged me all through my innings and it wasn’t easy to score runs against them.

“It’s a friendly batting pitch which has not done as much as the one for our previous home game with Notts. I just try to stay in the moment and remain nice and relaxed."

The young left-hander’s memorable knock occupied seven hours and 42 minutes, 310 balls, and featured 23 fours and 4 sixes.

His previous four Championship centuries this summer had already established him as the leading run-maker in the competition.

Rew added: "I was overjoyed when I brought up my 200. I couldn’t really believe it and it’s hard to put into words exactly how I felt.

“It was good to help the team put 500 on the board. The tenth-wicket stand with Shoaib Bashir was one of the most enjoyable of my career."

And Somerset head coach Jason Kerr said: “Right now James Rew is ridiculously good. To be the leading run-scorer in Division One of the County Championship shows he is having an outstanding season.

“People see the runs on the pitch. But more important to me is that as a character he is incredibly level headed.”