GLOUCESTERSHIRE Under-12s won the English Schools Cricket Association (ESCA) Taunton Festival for the first time at this age group with five victories in five days.

The week started with a 45 over match against St Stithians College from South Africa.

Having won the toss Gloucestershire bowled well with three wickets for Jack Studley (3-18) (Winterbourne) and one each for Toby Rice and Taylor Ireland . However the school-side played the spinners well and went on to post a score of 177.

In reply, captain Ben French proved the mainstay of the innings with a mature knock of 54. He was supported by scores of 21 from both Solomon Dark (Winterbourne) and Samuel Brooks as Gloucestershire secured the win with two balls to spare.

Rain meant a reduced overs 20-overs-a-side match against Hampshire the following day.

Gloucestershire hit 118-5, while Hampshire saw wickets fall, with Will Maxwell taking two wickets (Winterbourne) plus taking spectacular one-handed catch as Gloucestershire won by six runs.

Gloucestershire beat old rivals Somerset on the Thursday morning and faced Lancashire in the afternoon which saw Lancashire slip to 73 all out, a target Gloucestershire overhauled in just 18 overs for the loss of one wicket thanks to an excellent 53 not out from McConkey.

The last game of the tournament saw Gloucestershire play Devon, needing just three points to claim the county’s first Taunton title at this age group.

Batting first, Gloucestershire made a slow start but built momentum through their innings to post 159 and secure the bonus points needed to win the title.

Tommy Boorman batted well for 33, Dark made 22, and Wood gave the innings an injection of pace with 19 off 18 balls.

Chasing their fifth win from five festival matches, Gloucestershire made a fantastic start, as the accurate Jack Alway (2-12) helped reduce Devon to 0-2 after six overs.

But Devon dug deep and made Gloucestershire work hard for their win.

After 25 overs, Gloucestershire made a number of late breakthroughs and ended up restricting Devon to 127-6 to preserve their one hundred per cent record.

By coincidence Gloucestershire Under 12s first game after the Taunton Festival was against Worcestershire who had won the other ESCA Under 12 Festival at King’s College.

Gloucestershire reached 213-3 off 40 overs and, in reply, Worcestershire could only finish on 143-5.