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Somerset cricket star Peter Trego has revealed that he was the victim of vile abuse from online trolls and expressed fears that the problems seen with behaviour in football are beginning to seep into cricket.

Trego was targeted after Somerset lost their NatWest T20 Blast match against Glamorgan at Taunton by just a single run last weekend.

The 36-year-old all-rounder was left needing to hit the final ball of the game for six to secure a Somerset win, but could only hit Marchant de Lange for four as Glamorgan achieved the narrowest of wins.

But for Trego, the disappointment of losing the match was soured even further when he came under attack from trolls on social media.

He told BBC Somerset: “I’ve always loved interacting with the crowd and I have a great relationship with so many fans so it did come as a bit of a shock to suddenly be absolutely targeted.

“I got sent a direct message on Instagram from a lad, and it was one of the most abusive messages I think I’ve ever read in my life."

Trego added: “Privately or not, he’s direct messaged me some foul abuse and the kid’s 14 years old. That for me was like, wow, what are we into here?

“I think it’s just an absolute disgrace and unfortunately it is a little bit in vogue at the moment for young people to feel like that’s ok.”

Trego is well known as a crowd favourite at Somerset, having spent two spells with the county in an association that runs back to 1996.

He fears that the advent of Twenty20 cricket has meant that “football hooligan” levels of abuse has crept into the sport and says that younger players may not feel as comfortable engaging with fans as he did when he started his own career.

Trego added: “We’re doing our best, we’re doing something that, again, when you do click on some of these profiles and these people probably couldn’t even lift up a cricket bat, let alone hit Marchant de Lange for six off the last ball.

“You do have to get a perspective but when it gets to what I would call football hooligan abuse level, I just think is that really what we want for the future of our cricket?"

Trego received support from Somerset one-day captain Jim Allenby

He continued: “I know Twenty20 brings in a lot of money, a lot of revenue, a lot of excitement, but it’s also bringing in a lot of idiots to the game, that might be spoiling other elements of the game for the next generation.

“I’ve loved my career of interacting with fans, but if I was coming into the game now, you’re blaming the youngsters of the game now for maybe not speaking their mind or not interacting with the crowd.

“Can you blame them? And that’s a huge shame.”