Toby Albert is a right-handed batter at the top or middle of the batting order and occasional wicket keeper.
He was born in Basingstoke, Hampshire and joined Hampshire’s Academy after a few seasons playing in the Southern Premier Cricket League with Basingstoke & North Hants CC.
Both his parents are Olympic equestrians, and Albert spent most of his youth travelling around the world to different events and spent part of the 2008 Beijing Olympics running in the hotel with Jamaican sprinter Asafa Powell.
Albert had troubles with injury in his early years, undergoing a serious knee operation in 2020.
After completing a successful rehabilitation, the 2021 season saw Albert register some stellar performances in both Hampshire’s Academy and Second XI sides, which earned him a debut for the First XI.
He was selected to open the batting in two Vitality Blast fixtures for Hampshire Hawks in 2021, facing Somerset on both occasions – one being in Vitality Blast Finals Day at Edgbaston.
Following a winter in Abu Dhabi playing in the T10 League for Chennai Braves, Albert earned more First XI opportunities in 2022 making his mark in both the Vitality Blast and the Royal London Cup.
In the T20 competition, his introduction to the team coincided with the Hawks upturn in form as they won eight of the nine games he played in. In total, Albert scored 83 runs at an average of 27.66 as the Hawks went on to lift the Vitality Blast trophy.
His best performances though came in the Royal London Cup where he scored 339 runs at an impressive average of 48.42 – including two match winning half-centuries against Derbyshire and Lancashire.
Albert’s form earned him a new contract and he was also voted as Hampshire’s Player of the Month for August by the Hampshire fans.
He continued to make strides in both white ball teams in 2023 – helping the Hawks to a record tenth Finals Day and the one-day side to a runners-up finish.
Furthermore, having played on loan in a match for Kent, Albert was then given his first County Championship appearances in a Hampshire shirt in the final three matches – opening the batting alongside fellow Academy graduate Fletcha Middleton.
After playing predominantly for the Second XI to start 2024, Albert’s first appearance for the first team saw the opener score a maiden First-Class century when he made 114 from in 305 balls to help Hampshire to 608-6 and a dominant innings victory over Surrey at Utilita Bowl.
A match-winning knock of 41* from 32 balls guided Hampshire to a five-wicket win against Gloucestershire in the Blast, and a first half-century in the tournament came with 66 in a defeat to Surrey.
Another career-best, this time in List A cricket, came with an unbeaten 96 chasing 242 against Somerset in the One Day Cup. He also top scored with 75 from just 53 balls against Middlesex, with the five fours and four sixes taking Hampshire to a 19-run win.
Hundred number two came against Essex back in the County Championship, 124 from 217 and passing 500 first-class runs in the process.
Over 29 appearances across all three formats, Albert made 887 runs with two tons and four half-centuries.
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