SOMERSET batsman Tom Abell is one of two young cricketers to have been chosen as wildcard picks for the 2015 LV Breakthrough Player Award.

Abell and Essex’s Jamie Porter join Jack Leaning (Yorkshire), Ollie Robinson (Sussex), Craig Miles (Gloucestershire), Tom Curran (Surrey), Luke Wood (Nottinghamshire) and Alex Davies (Lancashire) on the full shortlist for the accolade, which recognises the best young talent in the LV County Championship.

The shortlist and wildcard picks were selected by an expert panel which included England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) Performance Director David Parsons, former England player and LV ambassador Mark Butcher, as well as former Australian bowler and Yorkshire coach Jason Gillespie.

The 21-year-old has already achieved the rare feat of carrying his bat twice this season, batting through the whole Somerset innings for an unbeaten 77 against Nottinghamshire in June, and for 88 against Warwickshire at Edgbaston a few weeks later.

Describing his young batsman Somerset Director of Cricket Matt Maynard said: “Tom has a lot of talent and is very highly thought of by both his team mates and the Somerset supporters.

“He has a superb temperament and I have no doubt that he will go on to achieve big things in the years to come.”

The 2015 LV CC Breakthrough Player will be decided by the public, and you can vote for your winner at www.LV.com/cricket