WHEN Tom Abell walks out to open the batting for Somerset in this season’s County Championship, he will do so surrounded by years of experience and bucket loads of runs.

Barring injury or unforeseen circumstances, the 22-year-old looks set to open the innings with county stalwart Marcus Trescothick; while at numbers three, and four, former Australia opener, Chris Rogers and last season’s top run-scorer, James Hildreth will complete an unrivalled top order.

The opportunity to learn and enhance his trade in such company, is one not afforded to many youngsters and Abell is looking forward to getting started.

“I am hopefully opening the batting with Tres (Marcus Trescothick) and trying to learn off Chris Rogers, so I am just looking forward to that experience,” said Abell.

“As a young top order batsman, I probably couldn’t have asked to have been among a better group of players, with Hildy (James Hildreth) coming in at four as well.

“I was fairly happy with the way that things went last year, but I need to back it up this season and take my game on another step.

“I would like to be a little more consistent than perhaps I was last year, when I was a bit up and down.

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Abell, who scored over 700 championship runs at an average of 36.30 in his first full season, has just returned from a five month spell playing Grade cricket for Fremantle in Western Australia – and the former Taunton School pupil believes his trip has helped him to ‘grow up as a player’.

“I enjoyed my time in Australia and did quite well, although the first part of my time out there was probably better than the second,” he said.

“In terms of experience and what I have gained from my five months out there, I couldn’t have asked for more.”

“I think being away from home for five months and having to look after myself has toughened me up.

“As a Pom out there, the Aussies love to get stuck into you so from that point of view I have grown up as a player as well, which has hopefully stood me in good stead going into 2016.”

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TON UP: Abell celebrating a century for Fremantle        Photo: John Moore

His role may predominantly be as a top-order batsman, but that hasn’t stopped Abell from trying to add another string to his bow, enjoying success with the ball, as well as the bat, during his time down under.

“I wanted to work on my bowling when I was out in Australia and had a couple of decent games with the ball, but of course my priority is still my batting,” said Abell.

“However it’s another string to my bow and it won’t hurt to have done some work on it.”

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LIMITED OVERS: Abell in one-day action for Fremantle

Towards the back end of the season, Abell featured in a handful of one-day games and received a huge backing from director of cricket, Matt Maynard, who insisted he could be ‘a top one-day player’ – and his limited overs batting is any area Abell is very keen to improve in 2016.

“I was lucky enough to be given the go ahead in the 50 over competition and I loved being given the chance. But I’m under no illusions that I have got some work to do on that front.

“Of course I want to represent the club in all formats, but I’m realistic enough to know that I have got a way to go yet in white ball cricket, but that’s a part of my game I have been working on and hopefully I can prove my worth.”

Somerset kick off the 2016 season with a trip to Durham on April 10, clear in the knowledge that April and May could be very testing months.

“Early season is going to be tough, but we are quietly confident in our own abilities as a team and yes we want to be getting off to a good start,” said Abell.

“That’s the main thing and where our focus is.”

After an impressive 2015 season, which saw him win the LV Breakthrough Player award, the challenge for Abell now, is to follow that up and the avoid the cliched 'second-season syndrome'. 

He's certainly in the right company to do so and a season similar to last, could prompt some early calls for much higher honours.