Bartestree & Lugwardine U15s produced a remarkable performance at Pentland Gardens to be crowned 2026 Herefordshire Cricket Vitality U15 Club County Champions, chasing down a daunting target of 170 with four balls to spare to book their place in the national stages.

Captain Miles lost the toss and, despite hoping to bowl first on a pitch that looked ideal for chasing, the opposition elected to bat. There was even some pre-match drama as the start was briefly delayed to allow 12th man Will Morgan to squeeze into a borrowed kit and take the field until BLCC’s final player arrived.

Charlie Botwright and Miles shared the new ball, bowling with excellent pace and movement against a strong opening partnership. An attacking field, short boundaries and a lightning-fast outfield meant the runs still came at a healthy rate despite some high-quality bowling.

George Debenham and Gauranga entered the attack after eight overs, with Gauranga claiming the only wicket of the innings. The opposition reached the halfway stage on 67-1, but while the bowling remained disciplined, a few overthrows, missed boundary stops and some untidy fielding allowed valuable extra runs to slip away.

After the interval, BLCC tightened up in the field and adopted a more defensive approach, preventing the batters from completely taking control. Jacob and Henry bowled well at the death, but the innings closed on an imposing 169-1 from 20 overs. It felt as though 20-30 runs had been gifted away in the field, leaving a challenging chase ahead.

What followed was one of the batting performances of the season.

Openers Charlie Botwright and George Debenham continued the outstanding form they have shown throughout the competition, combining powerful stroke play with excellent game management. Both retired on superb half-centuries as BLCC reached 70 without loss at drinks, putting the chase firmly on track.

With both openers retired, the responsibility fell to Gauranga and skipper Miles to maintain the momentum. Gauranga played his part before departing, but Miles led from the front with a superb 33 from just 25 balls, keeping the required rate firmly under control. His innings ultimately proved decisive before he was brilliantly run out attempting to steal what would have been the winning run.

With one still needed, Henry calmly arrived at the crease and, despite skying his shot, safely scored the winning run with four balls remaining, sparking jubilant celebrations.

The difference between the two sides ultimately came in the small details. BLCC conceded just six extras, while the opposition gave away 30, including 13 byes, highlighting the excellent work behind the stumps from Joey, whose wicketkeeping proved a crucial part of the victory.

It was an outstanding all-round team performance, but the Player of the Match award was shared between Charlie Botwright and Captain Miles. Charlie set the platform with a magnificent unbeaten 50 and also bowled four disciplined overs, while Miles led superbly throughout, returned the best bowling figures of 0-25 from his four overs, and then produced the match-winning innings of 33 from 25 balls.

After the match, Miles said:

“I felt honoured to captain the boys. Everyone worked hard for each other, backed one another and supported the lads from the first ball. Now we’re the Herefordshire Cricket Vitality U15 Club County Champions and on to the nationals we go!”

A fantastic team performance, an incredible chase, and a thoroughly deserved county title.

Up the Tree!