YOUNG Cotswold cricketers feature strongly in the Gloucestershire county and district winter squads which have just been announced.

No fewer than four local cricketers have been included in the 14 named for the county boys' U15 squad. They are Dan Collins (Poulton), Freddie Merrett (Lechlade); Max Shepherd (Bourton Vale) and Oliver Wood (Cirencester).

The full list of players, who range in age from U10s to U17s, have been selected by the Gloucestershire Cricket Board (GCB) to take part in 12 weekly, two-hour coaching sessions from January to March.

The squads were chosen following a rigorous trialling process that ran from late July to mid-September.

The eight boys’ county squads feature players from 44 different clubs – 37 from within Gloucestershire.

The girls' county squads – Under 11, 13, 15 and 17 – have been picked from 29 clubs – 25 from within Gloucestershire.

County boys selected from clubs in our area:

U10: Arthur Hanson (Bourton Vale); U11: Thomas Stanley (Slaughters Utd); U12: Luke Hope (Great Rissington); William Merrett (Lechlade); Lysander Tarrant (Bourton Vale); U13: Charlie Brook (Cirencester); U15: Dan Collins (Poulton); Freddie Merrett (Lechlade); Max Shepherd (Bourton Vale); Oliver Wood (Cirencester); U17: Jonnie Gunn (Poulton); Harvey Jupp (Lechlade).

County girls selected from clubs in our area:

U11: Bethan Manning (Poulton); U13: Tosca Knight (Lechlade); Charlotte Oliver (Bourton Vale); U15 Alice Mundy (Fairford).