SOMERSET opening batter Andy Umeed has certainly made the most of his opportunity to showcase his skills in the Metro Bank One Day Cup which is running concurrently with The 100.

To date the Cidermen have struggled in the competition which is little surprise as The 100 has deprived them of their top line performers, which along with those who are injured, means that 15 players are unavailable.

Despite the results the competition continues to be well supported by Somerset fans, who have also had the opportunity to witness the emergence of some of the younger players like Josh Thomas and JT Langridge, as well as the blossoming of Umeed.

The 27 year old, who was born in Scotland, started his first class career back in 2016 with Warwickshire where over the course of two seasons he played in 14 first class matches in which he scored 490 runs at an average of 21.30 with a best of 113. However he wasn’t retained at the end of the 2017 season but continued to play Second XI cricket for the midland county for part of the next season.

The tall right hander first appeared for Somerset Seconds in July last year and over the course of the summer he impressed scoring over 300 runs in his six Second XI Championship games at an average of 29.18, including a best of 125.

Umeed played in five One Day Cup matches last season and made his championship debut against Kent in the final match of the season and on the strength of his performances he was awarded a one year contract for 2023.

The Scotsman started this season playing for the Seconds where in the five championship matches he has played he has totalled 477 runs at an average of just less than 60 which includes two centuries and a best of 179, against a strong Middlesex attack that included Toby Roland Jones and Tim Murtagh.

Umeed got called up to the first team for the home championship match against Hampshire, where batting at five he made 16 in his only innings, after that he was back with the Seconds.

Now the Metro Bank has given Umeed the platform to demonstrate what he is capable of as an opener - the position which seems to be giving Somerset selectors plenty to worry about this season.

Before today’s Metro Cup away match at Durham, in his five innings Umeed had scored 289 runs at an average of just short of 59 with two scores over 50 and a best of 125.

Once The 100/ Metro Bank One Day Cup are over Somerset return to LV=Championship cricket where they have three matches remaining.

It will be interesting to see if Umeed is given the opportunity to open for Somerset when red ball cricket returns and whether or not his contract is extended.