Somerset triumphed in the Inter-County Under 14's Festival that was held recently at Taunton School.

On the first day Somerset batted first against Cornwall, and in their 50 overs scored 228 for 5, with Andrew Fraser-Harris of Castle School top scoring with 70, Robin Lett of Millfield School making 63 and Robert Woodman also of Castle School scoring an unbeaten 50. In reply Cornwall scored 165 for 5 in their overs.

Against London Schools on the second day Somerset were all out for 178, and then bowled the opposition out for 60, with Dominic Shillabear, a quick bowler from Huish Episcopi taking 5 for 18.

The big game of the tournament for Somerset was against Lancashire on day three, and once again they were triumphant. Batting first Somerset were all out for 184, and in reply Lancashire were looking confident at 120 for 2.

Woodman then struck and took 5 for 31, with Seamus Crawford of Sherborne School taking 3 for 36, as Lancashire were dismissed for 179 to give the home side victory by just five runs.

On the fourth day against Bedfordshire the Somerset batsmen scored 253 for 9, with Fraser-Harris making 41 and James Barrowman from Millfield an unbeaten 36.When Bedfordshire batted they were bowled out for 105, with Alex Carroll of Taunton School taking 4 for 13 and Shillabear 2 for 17.

In the final match of the week against Essex the opposition scored 197 for 6, with Woodman taking 2 for 21 and Stephen Wheeler from Backwell School taking 2 for 31. In reply Somerset were 198 for 5, with Liam Lewis of Millfield School top scoring with an unbeaten 64, Fraser-Harris making 62, and Woodman weighing in with a quick 25 to seal the game.

Speaking after the tournament Somerset Under14's manager Julian Wyatt told me, "The team thoroughly deserved their success. They have had two very good seasons playing together and are a good bunch of cricketers. Robert Woodman and Seamus Crawford were the men of the week for us. Somerset have been runners up in the tournament twice in the last four seasons, but this is the first time that we have won it for a long time."

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