Somerset's James Rew signs new three-year deal

James Rew has committed his future to Somerset by signing a new three-year contract that will keep the wicketkeeper-batter at the Cooper Associates County Ground through the end of the 2029 season. The 22-year-old, who progressed through the club’s academy, has become a central figure in Somerset’s recent success since making his first-team debut in 2021.

Across 94 matches in all formats, Rew has amassed more than 4,800 runs and contributed 191 dismissals behind the stumps. Last summer he played a key role as Somerset lifted the T20 Blast trophy and secured third place in the County Championship standings.

Speaking to the club website, Rew said: “I absolutely love it here and it’s the best club in the world in my opinion. There’s nowhere else I’d want to play. To play in front of our members and supporters with this group of players is incredible and it’s something that I wouldn’t change for anything.”

Rew, whose younger brother Thomas is also on Somerset’s books, stressed the squad’s ambition to add more silverware. “We want to continue to win trophies over the next few years and remain dominant in white-ball cricket. We all want to win that elusive County Championship. Winning that would be everything for me and there’s a lot of people here who would say exactly the same thing.”

The new deal rewards a player who has already tasted international exposure. Rew was part of the England Under-19 squad that reached the 2022 U19 World Cup final and received a senior Test call-up for England’s one-off meeting with Zimbabwe in May, although he did not take the field. During the winter he toured Australia with the England Lions, hitting an unbeaten 92 in an eight-wicket victory over the Prime Minister’s XI before registering scores of 7 and 0 in a subsequent defeat to Australia A.

With his future now secured, Rew will turn his attention to helping Somerset push for further domestic honours while continuing to press for full England recognition.