CRICKET buffs Stephen Hill and Barry Phillips have joined an elite group that includes Somerset players Lewis Gregory and Jack Leach.

The two authors have won the 2018 Bravo Award from The Incider, a website for Somerset supporters.

The annual accolade recognises an outstanding contribution to fans’ enjoyment of Somerset cricket - previous winners include Gregory and Leach.

Mr Hill and Mr Phillips have jointly written three award-winning volumes charting the lives and careers of each of the players who have represented the county.

Published by Halsgrove, Somerset Cricketers 1882-1914, Somerset Cricketers 1919-1939 and Somerset Cricketers 1946-1970 are £16.99 each and available from good bookshops, including Amazon, or County Sports, at the Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton. Two further volumes are planned, the next in May 2019.

The Incider (thein-cider.co.uk) was founded in 2014 by journalist Steve Jennings, who said: "I wanted to create a site with a difference – a platform where fans of Somerset cricket could share their thoughts about the past, present and future of the club.

"An important part of our ethos is to encourage informed and entertaining writing, which is why we love the Somerset Cricketers books that Stephen and Barry have written. They’re packed full of new information and surprising facts and they’re a riveting read."

On receiving the award, Mr Hill said: "Any recognition is always a delight, but particularly so when it’s from people such as Steve and his team at The Incider, who know their stuff and love Somerset cricket as much as Barry and I do."