CHAIRMAN Neville Dennett is predicting a bright future at Corsham cricket club and hailed the achievements of his young players as the greatest in the club's history.

Left-arm spin bowler Tom Foley, 17, was the leading light of Corsham’s youth system last season as he featured regularly for the men’s first team in the top division of the West of England Premier League, as well as making his full Wiltshire debut against Shropshire in the MCCA KO Trophy.

But the club have also paid tribute to the achievements of a host of other youngsters, including Gabriel Field, 17, who was first choice wicket-keeper for Corsham’s 2nd XI and also a member of the Wiltshire academy side.

Corsham chairman Dennett said: “This success does not happen by chance but is part of a long-term approach the club have adopted to ensure they identify and nurture talent throughout the various stages of development.

“The obvious tangible success of Tom Foley this year has been a major boost to everybody at the club.

"However, if you scan through all of the sides at Corsham, you will see a number of players who have worked their way up through the youth structure into the respective senior sides.

“This gives every reason to be hopeful for a bright future at the club.”

Luke Curtis, Charley Reed, Sam Mitchell and William Bishop all scored maiden centuries for their respective sides last summer while 15 further players received county call-ups.

Corsham’s county youngsters – U11: Ed Vickery, Lucy Reed, Luci Mitchell, Emma Pillinger, Mariel Emmerson-Hicks (Wiltshire); U12: Jack Humphries (Wiltshire); U13: Charley Reed (Somerset); Ava Graham (Wiltshire); U14: Luke Curtis, Luke Draper (Wiltshire); U15: Jake Valentine (Gloucestershire); William Bishop, Freya Bollen, Emma James, Melissa Story (Wiltshire); U17: Tom Foley, Gabriel Field (Wiltshire).

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