TWO young Somerset youngsters, George Thomas and Ned Leonard, who have both come up through the Academy, will be leaving when their contracts expire.

Thomas is a 20-year-old batter and medium pace bowler who joined the Somerset Academy in 2019 after spending three years on the Emerging Player Programme.

The former King’s College student made his debut for Somerset as a 17-year-old during the 2021 Royal London Cup and went on to make 23 limited overs appearances for the club, scoring 620 runs and taking 13 wickets.

He also represented England at Under 19 level. Looking back at his time with Somerset, George said: “I’ve loved every minute of my time here. I’ve made some good friends, and it’s meant a lot to me because I’m Taunton born and bred.

“I love the members and supporters, and I’ll definitely cherish my years with Somerset.”

Somerset Director of Cricket, Andy Hurry said: “Everyone connected with the club would like to thank George for his service, effort and commitment during his time with the club.  From his time on the Pathway, through to the present day, George has been a real pleasure to work with.

“During a period where there is significant competition for places, we sense First XI opportunities would be limited moving forward and we therefore wish him every success in his future endeavours.”

Ned Leonard is the other who will leave Somerset this winter. The 22-year-old, whose contract is set to expire, will join Glamorgan ahead of next season after spending time at Sophia Gardens on loan this summer.The former Millfield student, who plays his club cricket for Bridgwater, represented Devon County CC on a number of occasions and joined the Somerset Academy in the Autumn of 2017.

Ned made his First Class and List A debuts for Somerset in 2021. His T20 debut came the following year against the Sri Lanka Development XI. In total, Ned made 19 First XI appearances for the club, taking 17 wickets and scoring 92 runs.

He has represented England at Under 19 level and played an active role in SCCC’s Community Engagement Programme. Regarding his departure, Ned said: “I’ll look back fondly at my time with Somerset because it was my first professional club, and I’ve made friends for life. I’ve loved my time here and it’s a special place but it’s time to move on and develop my game. I’ll miss Somerset but I’m excited for the next chapter.”