U 15 Team Manager – Lionel Harrison
Assistant Manager – Graham Withers
Coach – Paul Lawrence and James Butcher
Sponsored by Mike James; MJT Controls and Somerlap Forest Products Ltd

We never really expected our U15’s team to be front runners this season as we had lost half the squad who were at boarding school for most of the season. We had a unenviable start of 7 league defeats (intermingled with a friendly game win against East Harptree) and it was not until the 6 July this sequence was broken as we recorded our first win - verus old rivals Cleeve – to start a spell of 3 wins out of our remaining 5 matches and so climb off the bottom of the table.

What was pleasing about this teams performance, despite those early season set-backs, was the fact they never dropped their heads when losing, showed great character and attitude and always came to the next game with their moral still high and a determination to do better. This paid off in the later stages of the season as the coaching began to produce benefits, especially as one of our senior team bowlers, James Butcher, gave up his free time on Tuesday evenings to give some additional coaching and at times one to one sessions.

The weather was much kinder to us this season, so we managed to play all our games. You will see from the table that although we currently occupy joint 7th position there are still clubs with matches left to play which could have a bearing upon where we finish up and also who is top and bottom of the league, as points are awarded in lieu of games not played.

The U15’s season produced one ‘champagne’ moment, as they have affectionately become named by the seniors. It went to Russ Moore in a remarkable spell of bowling against East Harptree as he took 5 wickets for 2 runs in 2.4 overs, including a hat-trick. The hat-trick was even more memorable given the fact that it was done between overs which themselves were not back to back. Russ is being awarded a special trophy for this fete.

As usual my thanks go to: - Graham Withers for his help with the running of the team/scoring and also to Axel Palmer and Robin Honeywill for standing in on occasions too, Paul Lawrence (Coach) and James Butcher who did a great job improving the players batting and bowling techniques and Jan Lyons, as ever, providing her invaluable administrative assistance. We rely heavily too on all the other parents who helped with the refreshment duties, transportation etc so my gratitude to them. We must not, of course, forget our Youth Sponsors recorded above and our groundsman Fid, without whom we could not play the games.

Finally as a club we are also greatly indebted to our statistician Matt Colwill, whose appetite for information and compilation of it on our website for all out teams, never ceases to amaze me. I hope everyone takes the opportunity to visit this and keep up to date with the latest club news, announcements etc.

U15’s Awards
Player of the Year - Tom Bond
Clubman of the Year – Jenny Withers
Hat trick taker – Russ Moore

U15 Squad (24 Players) Name - Games played
Edward Anstee – 6; George Bond – 2; Tom Bond – 8; Adam Burroughs – 10; Josh Chastney – 9; Adam Crooks – 9; Lloyd Davies – 1; Rhys Davies – 4; William Day – 6; Luke Groves – 2; Simon Hill – 4; Sam Honeywill – 9; Ben Lyons – 3: Haydon Lyons – 5; Lee Mansfield – 4; Alex Milward – 2; Russell Moore – 10; Alistair Palmer – 11; Matthew Smith – 6; Archie Stead – 4; Richard Veater – 8; Alex Wall – 3; Tom Williams – 5; Jenny Withers – 11.