George Dockrell is a spindly left-arm spinner of immense potential. He made his international debut for Ireland as a 17-year-old in 2010 and has become a permanent selection, being named the ICC Associate Player of the Year in 2012. Recommended to Somerset's then director of cricket Brian Rose, he signed his first professional contract at Taunton just before his 18th birthday.

At 17, he played a key role in Ireland's 2010 World Twenty20 campaign, blending nous with audacity as his flighted twirlers saw off Netherlands in the qualifying tournament before taking 3 for 16 against West Indies and choking England's middle-order with four overs for 19 in the main event. Soon after the tournament ended he was ruled out of Ireland's next big game - an ODI against Australia - because he had to sit his school exams. He needn't have bothered as a month later he was offered a two-year contract by Somerset.

He made a big impact in just his second County Championship match, taking 6 for 27 to bowl Somerset to victory over Middlesex in their opening fixture of the 2012 season. He helped his side to another win later in the year with 6 for 29 against Durham as Somerset's finished runners-up again.

Dockrell learned his game at Leinster Cricket Club in Dublin and has played age-group cricket for Ireland since Under-13s. Named Ireland's "most valuable player" at the Clico Under-15 Championships in the West Indies in 2008, he took 6 for 19 in the Under-19 World Cup Qualifier against Hong Kong a year later and marked his senior Twenty20 debut by taking 2 for 11 against an impressive Afghanistan side. He went on to captain Ireland at the 2012 Under-19 World Cup.
ESPNcricinfo staff