Teenage debutant Tom Norton has been named Rothesay County Championship Player of the Round after a dream start to his first-class career in Glamorgan’s tense two-wicket win over near-rivals Somerset.
The 18-year-old became the youngest player ever to take a County Championship hat-trick – and the first on debut for 120 years - as Glamorgan claimed an historic first-ever Division One home win.
“To get a hat-trick on the second evening was something that I have just never dreamed about,” Norton told ecb.co.uk. “To finish off with a win in the way we did today – I can’t ask for a better debut to be honest!
“That’s special. To also get Player of the Round for the whole of the County Championship, that’s just an unbelievable moment for myself, but best of all is contributing to a win.”
Norton dismissed James Rew, Tom Lammonby and Archie Vaughan in successive deliveries before setting off on a joyous celebration with his team-mates in hot pursuit.
It proved the moment to turn the game the home side’s way as Norton, a Glamorgan Academy product, claimed seven wickets in the match.
A tense final-day chase then ensued with former Somerset batter Sean Dickson hitting 76 while nightwatchman Ryan Hadley assumed hero status with an unbeaten 50 from 231 balls, after his previous highest first-class score had been just 15.
Norton, who was padded up when the winning runs were hit, said: “I was very nervy at the end there with being next out to bat, but Hadders [Ryan Hadley] going out last night and seeing it out and then today getting 50 not out was special.
“Hopefully I can play as much as I can for Glamorgan in all formats. I want to do it all. I want to be here for a very long time and to win trophies and that’s the first step towards that.”
Norton’s performance saw a Glamorgan player named Player of the Round for the second week in a row after captain Kiran Carlson’s brilliant double-century against Hampshire earned him the accolade last week.
Durham seamer Ben Raine earned three votes in his side’s comfortable win at Worcestershire, which moved him level at the top of the leaderboard on seven votes with James Rew.
Matt Critchley is a vote behind after he claimed three votes against Hampshire for the second time this season following his unbeaten 90 to set up a six-wicket win.
At the end of the season the top 10 players on the leaderboard will be eligible to win the prestigious Cricket Media Club's County Championship Player of the Year award.
The award is to be presented at the Cricket Media Club’s end-of-season presentation with CMC members voting on the winner from the top-10 players on the leaderboard. Nottinghamshire skipper Haseeb Hameed was last year’s winner of the award.
Warwickshire’s Ethan Bamber also picked up three votes for his six wickets in the Bears’ win over Yorkshire at Edgbaston, while Ben Duckett’s unbeaten double-century in Nottinghamshire’s draw with Surrey earned him three votes as well.
Sussex opener Daniel Hughes received three votes for his 136 in a seven-wicket win over Leicestershire and Zak Chappell earned three votes for his five wickets in Derbyshire’s innings victory over Northamptonshire.
Tawanda Muyeye got three votes for his knocks of 90 and 108 as Kent beat Gloucestershire by two wickets. Finally, Middlesex’s Ryan Higgins received three votes for his seven wickets in the Seaxes’ six-wicket win over Lancashire.
Round Six votes
Division One
Warwickshire v Yorkshire: 3 – Ethan Bamber (Warwickshire); 2 – Sam Hain (Warwickshire); 1 - Oliver Hannon-Dalby (Warwickshire).
Nottinghamshire v Surrey: 3 – Ben Duckett (Nottinghamshire); 2 – Dan Worrall (Surrey); 1 – Joe Clarke (Nottinghamshire).
Leicestershire v Sussex: 3 – Daniel Hughes (Sussex); 2 – Ollie Robinson (Sussex); 1 – John Simpson (Sussex).
Glamorgan v Somerset: 3 – Tom Norton (Glamorgan); 2 – Ryan Hadley (Glamorgan); 1 – Tom Abell (Somerset).
Essex v Hampshire: 3 – Matt Critchley (Essex); 2 – Simon Harmer (Essex); 1 – Kyle Abbott (Hampshire).
Division Two
Worcestershire v Durham: 3 – Ben Raine (Durham); 2 – Callum Parkinson (Durham); 1 – Jack Home (Worcestershire).
Lancashire v Middlesex: 3 – Ryan Higgins (Middlesex); 2 – Naavya Sharma (Middlesex); 1 – Leus du Plooy (Middlesex).
Gloucestershire v Kent: 3 – Tawanda Muyeye (Kent); 2 – James Taylor (Kent); 1 – Chris Benjamin (Kent)
Derbyshire v Northamptonshire: Zak Chappell (Derbyshire); 2 – Brooke Guest (Derbyshire); 1 – Calvin Harrison (Northamptonshire).
Leaderboard
7 – Ben Raine (Durham), James Rew (Somerset); 6 – Matt Critchley (Essex); 5 – Tom Abell (Somerset), Kiran Carlson (Glamorgan); Leus du Plooy (Middlesex), Ryan Higgins (Middlesex), Matt Milnes (Kent), Tawanda Muyeye (Kent), Matthew Potts (Durham), James Sales (Northamptonshire), Jamie Smith (Surrey); 4 – Kyle Abbott (Hampshire), Ethan Bamber (Warwickshire), Emilio Gay (Durham), Simon Harmer (Essex), John Simpson (Sussex).