Cricket Successes: A Summer to Remember

The summer of cricket has once again highlighted the strength and depth of talent across the Taunton School cricket programme with pupils achieving success at professional, county, pathway and club level. From first-team county appearances to national finals, international recognition and outstanding individual performances it has been a remarkable season for our cricketers.

Professional and County Cricket

Several students took significant strides towards the professional game this summer. Ben C (Wills East) made his Somerset First XI debut, a memorable achievement and testament to years of hard work and dedication.

In another proud moment for the School four current and former pupils represented Somerset First XI against Cornwall with Ben joined by Oscar C (Evans) and Old Tauntonians Will Macdonald and Kian Roberts.

The county’s second team featured strong Taunton School representation as well. Muhammad K (Fairwater) earned selection for Somerset Second XI against Surrey playing alongside Old Tauntonians Ben C and Oscar C. Later in the summer Jack B (Evans) and Muhammad K featured against Durham, while Oscar C captained the side and produced an excellent innings of 94.

Oscar enjoyed a particularly impressive season captaining the South West Under-18s to victory in the national Super 4s Competition, further underlining his leadership credentials.

County Pathway Success

The school’s contribution to the Somerset pathway remains exceptionally strong, with seven pupils representing Somerset Under-18s this season: Oscar and Harvey C (Evans), Jack B (Evans), Ben C (Wills East), Muhammad K, Ben S (Fairwater) and Will M (Wills East). Five of these players were involved in Somerset’s journey to the Under-18 National Final against Yorkshire; all made valuable contributions throughout the campaign. Among the standout performances:

Jack B scored 86 against Glamorgan before producing a magnificent 66 not out from 59 balls, including three sixes, to guide Somerset to victory in the National Final.
Oscar C struck a superb 102 against Worcestershire.
Muhammad K returned outstanding figures of 7-49 for Somerset Under-18s and also earned recognition through his appearances for Somerset Second XI.

These achievements reflect both individual excellence and the strength of the School’s cricket development pathway.

Girls’ Cricket Continues to Flourish

The girls’ programme enjoyed another highly successful summer with players excelling across county and academy cricket.

Charlotte W (Besley) enjoyed a particularly strong campaign for Somerset Under-18s, scoring 58 against Wiltshire and 55 against Glamorgan. Charlotte was also Somerset Academy’s leading run scorer and attended Ireland training sessions which recognised her potential to acheive at the next level.

Other notable performances included:

Lily B (Jenkin) scoring an excellent 80 from 69 balls for Somerset Under-18s against Cornwall.
Jess S (Bevan) representing Somerset Under-16s.
Thea R (Weirfield) playing for both Devon Under-16s and Under-18s.
Lily S (Woodyer) producing an outstanding 93 not out against Cornwall for Devon Under-16s.
Megan D (Jenkin) scoring 51 against Somerset for Devon Under-13s and claiming a hat-trick as part of a five-wicket haul.
Molly H and Isabella B (both Weirfield) representing Devon Under-14s.
Beatrice H (Jenkin) taking 3-20 in a match-winning T20 performance against Cornwall and finishing the season as the leading wicket-taker within the county girls’ pathway.

Junior Cricketers Making Their Mark

The future of Taunton School cricket looks exceptionally bright with a number of junior players producing outstanding performances on the county stage. Oscar S (Evans) delivered one of the innings of the summer, scoring 120 against Hampshire from just 88 balls.

Other notable performances included:

Jacob R (Wills East) making 84 and Theo O (Fairwater) scoring 58 against Somerset.
Lewis W (Evans) scoring 73 while playing above his age group for Somerset Under-15s, and adding an unbeaten 50 against Devon Under-14s.
Albie B (Evans) blasting 66 from only 42 balls against Hampshire.

Further county representation came from Maxi M (Wills West), Graham D and Hugo T (Wills East) at Under-13 level, while Will M (Wills East) represented Cornwall.

Club Cricket Success

The summer brought notable success at club level. Luca G (Marshall) was part of the Bridgwater squad that reached the County Cup Finals and a number of our female cricketers played key roles in Exeter’s Division One Women’s League title-winning campaign. These included Megan D, Lily S, Thea R and Grace G. Grace produced one of the standout innings of the season, scoring a magnificent 95 from 67 balls in a crucial match that helped set up the title decider. The same group, joined by Charlotte W and Jess S, also helped Exeter secure an impressive third-place finish in the National Under-19 Cup, with Grace again excelling by scoring 92 in the semi-final.

Meanwhile, Jack B enjoyed club success for Taunton Deane First XI, taking 6-42 and helping the club lift the Under-19 County Cup.

Looking Ahead

These achievements represent far more than individual accolades. They reflect the commitment, dedication and enthusiasm shown by our players throughout the year and the strength of the cricket programme across all age groups. We congratulate every pupil who represented their county, pathway or club this summer and look forward to supporting their continued development in the seasons ahead.

Prep School Cricket Achievements

The Prep School also enjoyed another outstanding summer of cricket with pupils excelling across county age-group cricket and representative pathways. Several players produced exceptional performances, demonstrating both talent and a commitment to their self-development.

Among the standout individual achievements was Bertie H who scored a magnificent 102 not out against Devon before following it up with an impressive 68 in his next innings, highlighting his consistency and ability to perform under pressure. Nicholas C enjoyed an excellent season scoring 83 not out against Hampshire while playing a year above his age group, a significant achievement at county level. Ben F similarly challenged himself by competing in an older age group throughout the season, gaining valuable experience against older opposition. In the girls’ game Erin W played up in the Under-14 age group and led the bowling attack, producing strong performances throughout the summer.

The breadth of county representation across the boys’ programme was particularly pleasing. Pupils representing their counties this season included Harry C, Freddie H, Charlie T, Hedley K, Rupert S, Theo S (Year 8), Bertie H, Ben F, Henry H, Louie T, Harry P (Cornwall), Theo S (Year 7), Nicholas C, Viaan M and Emmott N. Their involvement reflects the strength and depth of cricket throughout the Prep School.

Looking ahead, there is further encouragement for the future of the programme with a number of younger players successfully trialling for county pathways for the 2026/27 season. Huckleberry H, Albert H, Monty C, Austin C and Rory M all impressed selectors and earned places in their respective county programmes.

The girls’ section continues to flourish with Erin W, Esme H, Cate P, Gigi S, Lydia P, Eden P, Kemi S, Sophie KP, Zara H and Alba M all representing county cricket during the summer. Competing primarily in representative fixtures they consistently performed well and gained valuable experience against strong opposition. Further success came through the most recent county selections, with Erin W, Esme H, Gigi S, Lydia P, Eden P, Kemi S, Sophie KP, Zara H, Ottie B and Emilia S all earning places in county programmes. Their selections are a reflection of their hard work, enthusiasm and commitment to improving their game.

These achievements underline the continued growth of cricket within the Prep School. We congratulate all pupils who represented their counties, trialled successfully, or contributed positively to their teams throughout the summer, and we look forward to seeing their continued development in the seasons ahead.