Toby Albert’s season reviewed – a year of milestones and 887 runs for Hampshire
Newbury’s Toby Albert won Hampshire Cricket Club’s Young Player of the Year award earlier this month.
The 22-year-old made a total of 887 runs throughout the season, reaching numerous career milestones in the process.
Albert recorded his maiden first class century back in May, as Hampshire hosted Surrey in Southampton.
Albert’s performance in the County Championship kick-started his season, as he smashed 114 from 305 balls.
His partnership with fellow centurion Nick Gubbins set Hampshire up for a huge victory, winning by an innings and 278 runs.
In June, Albert was credited with saving Hampshire’s innings in a T20 Blast game away to Gloucestershire.
As the top four Hampshire batsmen fell for low scores in quick succession, it was Albert who anchored the innings, hitting a calm 41 not out to win his side the game by five wickets.
Albert also starred in the One-Day Cup, again saving his side’s fortunes at home to Somerset in July.
Fletcha Middleton’s 50 had set the hosts up well, but as the wickets began to fall, Albert found another big performance from fifth in the order.
A quick 96 not out from just 87 balls took the game away from Somerset and handed Hampshire a five wicket victory.
In August, Albert’s performances hit a new level, starting with an excellent 75 not out from just 53 balls away to Middlesex in the One-Day Cup.
His middle order performance saw him hit five fours and four sixes to send Hampshire into the quarter finals, where they would lose to Leicestershire.
Later in the month, he set a personal best first class score, as Essex came to visit in the County Championship.
Trusted this time to open the batting, Albert soared to 124 off 217 balls, knocking seventeen fours and a six before his side batted out for a draw.
This set Hampshire up nicely for a second place finish in the County Championship, with champions Surrey out of reach with games to spare.
Despite this, their final game away to Somerset saw Albert finish on a high, opening again to hit a patient 77 from 162 balls, as Hampshire took home a five wicket win.
A year of significant progress has seen the former Park House pupil impress across multiple formats, with the aim now being to cement his place as one of the county’s elite scorers.