Somerset: Tim Rouse, Tom Banton and Ollie Sale sign two-year deals

Tim Rouse has a high score of 69 in first-class cricket and an average of 19.20

Division One county Somerset have given two-year professional contracts to batsman Tim Rouse, wicketkeeper-batsman Tom Banton and fast bowler Ollie Sale.

Rouse, 21, has played in eight first-class matches for Somerset since his 2016 debut, plus one T20 fixture.

England Under-19 international Banton, 18, played against Middlesex in the T20 Blast this summer.

Sale, 21, who made his T20 debut in 2016 before a back injury, is a regular for Somerset's second XI.

Chief executive Lee Cooper told Somerset's website: "It is absolutely vital that we secure the services of the best young local talent and by signing these three players up we are doing exactly that."