Earle's a winner (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Earle's a winner

YOUNG Courtney Earl is being tipped for a bright future in the game after producing a sensational performance for Calne U13s on Sunday.

Against Biddestone he bowled a hat-trick and hit the required 18 runs off the last over to finish 157no and single-handedly win Calne the match.

The 13-year-old, who lives in Brook Way, Calne, is currently captaining Calne U13s and has already represented the club's U15 and second teams.

The cricket-mad youngster plays for his school side at John Bentley School in Calne.

Courtney has represented Wiltshire at U12 and U13 levels and is currently taking part in trials for the West of England U13 representative XI. He only took up the sport three years ago when he was invited to Calne Cricket Club by his father Gary Earle's friend Pete Knight.

The right-arm bowler Courtney immediately caught the cricket bug and has been improving ever since.

But Earl said his son had not inherited his cricket skills from him he had never even followed the sport until Courtney started playing.

"I'd never had any interest in cricket,'' said Earl. "I'm more of a rugby man. But Pete Knight picked him up three years ago and he went from there.

"On Sunday he was something else. Calne needed 12 off the last three balls and he just hit two wonderful sixes. He has a lot of natural talent but has been learning from his coaches.''

The 13-year-old said his aim is to keep improving his cricket. "I really enjoy it and I would love to play professionally one day,'' he said.

Courtney's team manager at Calne Cricket Club, Steve Richards, said the youngster is one of the best players he has ever seen at that age.

"His individual performance on Sunday was the most awesome I have ever witnessed in 30 years of cricket,'' said Richards.

"He came into my age group last season. He was ten when he first started when we got youth cricket going at the club.

"The great thing is that he is so keen to develop. He was always a quick bowler but as a batsman three or four years ago he was actually batting quite ordinary stuff.

"Now though his batting is beyond all recognition and if he keeps developing like he is he has got the potential to make an excellent cricketer.''