FORMER Somerset CCC captain Tom Abell has endorsed his successor Lewis Gregory ahead of the 2024 campaign.

Abell is heading into his first season without the captain’s armband since 2016 and he is excited to be focussing on his cricket.

“We had a brilliant couple of weeks in Abu Dhabi where things came together well for us as a group and I’m very optimistic about this season.

“From a personal point of view, I’m pretty excited about getting my game to where I want it to be with the bat. I’m also excited about how I’m going to go this season, and with the confidence that I’ve gained over the winter I feel like I’m hitting the ground running. I certainly see room for growth in our Championship cricket both as a group and on a personal level as well.

“With Lewis at the helm, it’s going to be really exciting for everyone!”

Abell added that as a senior player he is still intent on leading by example both on and off the pitch.

“It will certainly be different, and the pressure now is that I have to make sure that I’m performing with the bat and fulfilling my role at the top of the order," he said.

"I’ll still have a role as a senior player amongst the group, which is a great group to be a part of, and I’m desperate to try and perform and lead with the bat because I want to be part of a successful team in all formats.”