Gloucestershire Youth League Final

Cirencester U11s 204-4

Thornbury U11s 69 all out

CIRENCESTER CC's U11s won an emphatic victory over Thornbury to take the Gloucestershire Youth League title in an exciting final.

Cirencester lost the toss and were put into bat but their openers Fred Walker and captain Sam Howell soon saw off Thornbury's opening bowling pair of Messer and Gayle.

The impressive Walker lost his wicket for 19 runs to new bowler Sanders.

Hamish Brook could not emulate the heroics of his 67 against last season's champions Frocester and was regrettably run out for a duck after a mix-up with partner Howell.

Enter Tom Beattie who scored a season's best 62 with a mature innings until his eventual dismissal in the 25th over. Howell went in the 18th over for 26.

Oliver Wood and Charlie Davison, fresh from their county trials last weekend, then built on a great start to take the team to 204-4 with unbeaten knocks of 39 and 33 respectively. Wood’s 39 was a season's best and Davison's knock included three huge sixes.

In reply, Thornbury were soon put under pressure by the Staley twins. Kit Staley made the first breakthrough with the wicket of Sanders for 0 after a great catch by Walker.

Twin Louis soon clean-bowled the other opening batsman, Nash, for another duck.

The youngest member of Cirencester’s team, Raife Hackett, then stepped up to claim two wickets in one over, including that of the free-scoring Trotman who had sped to 21.

Gregor Hawkes's spin conceded just three runs in his first two overs and then claimed the wicket of Messer in his third.

Willoughby Norrie bagged the wickets of Rabjohns and Hawker, the latter stumped by alert wicketkeeper Beattie.

Wood and Davison, responsible for a demolition job with the bat, came on to inflict more damage on Thornbury with Davison capturing Gayle (22) in his second over and Wood finishing off the tail with two wickets in 10 balls.

Cirencester's junior section is in rude health and the club look forward to seeing these boys flourish over coming years.

The win is testament to the fine work done by all the club’s coaches and managers, with the U13s also reaching the GYL final this year and the U15s winning the County Cup.