All-rounder Shiv Thakor has been named in the initial list of six contenders to be crowned Specsavers One to Watch for the summer of 2016.
The 22-year-old has enjoyed an impressive Specsavers County Championship campaign with both bat and ball. He has, so far, scored 575 runs at an average of 71, including two centuries, and claimed 19 wickets, including career-best figures of 5-63.
Lancashire’s Haseeb Hameed and Liam Livingstone have both been nominated by a panel of coaches and journalists, on the basis of their contribution to their successful return to Division One in the Specsavers County Championship this season.
Livingstone is one of two nominees to have made their debuts for England Lions in their recent Tri-Series, with Northamptonshire’s Ben Duckett.
They are joined by Nick Gubbins, who began the latest round of fixtures as the leading runscorer for Division One leaders Middlesex.
Duckett is one of three players from Division Two on the shortlist. He is joined by Jamie Porter, whose wickets have fired Essex to the top of the table, and Thakor.
Two more players will be added to the list in September, allowing a number of other strong contenders more time to press their claims – and then it will be over to county cricket fans to choose the winner, through a vote hosted by ecb.co.uk.
Contenders had to be 23 or under at the start of the Specsavers County Championship season in April, and not to have represented either England or England Lions at that point.
Somerset opener Tom Abell won the equivalent award last season – after missing out on the original six-man shortlist, and being added in September. The other previous winners were Alex Lees (2014), Rory Burns (2013), and Joe Root in 2012.
Specsavers One to Watch – shortlist
Ben Duckett (Northamptonshire, 21)
Nick Gubbins (Middlesex, 22)
Haseeb Hameed (Lancashire, 19)
Liam Livingstone (Lancashire, 23)
Jamie Porter (Essex, 23)
Shiv Thakor (Derbyshire, 22)
Derbyshire host their first ever Real Ale Beer Festival on Day One and Day Two of the Specsavers County Championship fixture versus Essex, on Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 August. To book your tickets, or for more information, please call 01332 388 101, email [email protected] or buy online HERE.
