TAUNTON Deane's youngsters are celebrating a County Cup double after success for both their Under-13s and Under-15s on Sunday.

Both teams were up against Lansdown at Taunton Vale, and the Under-13s won the toss and put Lansdown in to bat.

The Deane Sabres pace attack was difficult to score off and, after 10 overs, Lansdown were reduced to 46-4, with Bryce Bedingfield dismissing both openers.

Alex Chaffey (3-12) and Fin Robertson (4-15) piled on the pressure and skittled out the remaining batters to set a below par target of 85.

Early setbacks, with the loss of Cole Willoughby and Robertson, halted the reply but Ged Williams-Pritchard (26) and Beddingfield (30 retired) settled the nerves with a fluent, hard-hitting partnership before Chaffey wasted no time finishing the game in the 10th over.

The Sabres travel to Wiltshire for the round of the Vitality Under-13 National Cup next month.

Somerset County Gazette:

Taunton Deane Under-13s. Back: Theo Harlow, George Jarrett, Bryce Bedingfield, Fin Robertson, Will Taylor, Isaac Finch, Cole Willoughby, Will Harvey, Luke Augustine, Gary Chaffey (coach); front: Jacob Hall, Ged Williams-Pritchard, Rupert Baverstock, Alex Chaffey, Brogan Flitton

The Under-15s were asked to bat first and lost skipper Ben Chaffey (6) in the first over.

Charlie Sharland (54 ret) then took control with some powerful hitting with five fours and five sixes as he scored a half century off just 15 balls!

Aman Rao (46) played an important anchor role to compliment the aggressive Josh Thomas (23), Max Johnson (12) and Rowan Keyte (23) as the Deane posted an impressive 191-9 off their 20 overs.

In reply, seamers Charlie Sharland (1-19), Harrison Hamley (1-18), Ben Chaffey (2-7) and Rufus Williams-Pritchard (1-2) along with spinners Taylor Flitton (2-3) and Freddie Stevens (2-20) dismissed Lansdown for 89 as Taunton Deane won by 102 runs to become County Cup Winners.

In the next round of the Vitality Under-15 National Cup, Taunton Deane travel to Cornwall to take on either Truro, Werrington or Wadebridge on Sunday, July 7.

Somerset County Gazette:

Taunton Deane Under-15s: Back - Keith Woodman (coach), Freddy Stevens, Will Baverstock, Max Johnson, Aman Rao, Josh Nelson, Harrison Hambly, Taylor Flitton, Ben Squire; front - Eddie Byrom (Somerset CCC), Rowan Keyte, Josh Thomas, Ben Chaffey, Charlie Sharland, Rufus Williams-Pritchard

Taunton Deane Under-15s also won a high-quality Taunton & District League Cup final against Taunton St Andrew’s last Friday by virtue of losing fewer wickets after the scores were tied.

The Deane batted first and struck a very useful 166-2 off their 20 overs thanks to excellent half centuries from skipper Ben Chaffey (53no) and Charlie Sharland (55no).

Opener Aman Rao (35) was the other main contributor.

In reply Taunton St Andrew’s got off to a flyer, largely due to George Thomas (50no), but Rao (4-0-33-1) claimed the first wicket when Alex Couch (10) was caught by Sharland at long on.

James Rew (34) kept up the run chase, well supported by Harrison Barrett (19), but the re-introduction of Rufus Williams-Pritchard (1-32) saw him bowl Rew.

Josh Thomas played some impressive shots to get his team to 147-2 with 13 balls remaining and Freddy Stevens produced a tumbling catch to remove Harrison Barrett off Max Johnson (1-32).

Fourteen runs off the penultimate over, including a six and a four from Josh Thomas, left the Saints needing just six for victory in the last over, which became three off three.

Thomas was then run out coming back for a second having driven to deep cover, and a play and miss from the next delivery saw Alex Cunningham run out to leave two needed from the final ball.

Ollie Heard got bat on ball and they scrambled a single as the match ended in a tie, with the Deane winning as they lost two wickets compared to Saints’ five.

Both teams can be immensely proud of the spectacle they put on for the engrossed crowd.

As Keith Parsons said in his presentation speech: “You will not see an Under-15 match of such quality anywhere else in the country this season.”