Lewis Gregory has been named as the new captain of Somerset for the upcoming County Championship season after leading them to victory in the T20 Blast in 2023. Prior to this, he had taken over as captain of the T20 side in 2018 but later handed over the role to Tom Abell in 2022. Despite this, Gregory has also had experience in leading first-class cricket games, including for England Lions against the Australian touring team in 2019.
Abell, who had been the club captain for seven seasons, decided to step down from the role in November, citing his waning performance with the bat in red-ball cricket. Somerset, who have never won the Championship, finished sixth in Division One last season.
It was rumored in the South African media that Dean Elgar, who had previously been with Somerset in 2013 and 2017, would return to the club as captain. However, he has instead signed for Essex as a replacement for Alastair Cook.
Expressing his pride at his new role, Gregory commented, “To be able to lead the boys in the four-day format is a massive honor and it’s something that I’m very proud to be able to do.”
Andy Hurry, Somerset’s director of cricket, expressed his confidence in Gregory’s leadership abilities, stating that he is a natural leader and highly regarded by his teammates and staff at the club.
Additionally, Craig Overton, who will not be playing overseas this winter due to a back operation, has been named as the vice-captain, with Hurry praising his leadership attributes and match-winning capabilities.
