James Taylor caps a fine Bunbury Festival
Former England batsman James Taylor was on hand to hand out the caps to two Shropshire students at this year's Bunbury Festival.
Taylor was forced to retire from cricket earlier this year due to a heart condition.
He's a Bunbury graduate himself having played in the competition when he was a student at Shrewsbury School.
He presented the caps to Oswestry's Xavi Clarke, who represented the Midlands, and Ellesmere College's Harry Newton, who was playing for the North.
The festival which was this year held at Radley College in Oxfordshire. Batsman and wrist spinner Clarke played a key role.
The Midlands claimed the T20 honours at the festival, which showcases the skills of 56 of the most talented England Under-15 players in the country.
In the opening T20 game against the South & West, Clarke hit a busy 46 off just 40 balls with just two boundaries batting at No 5 to help boost the Midlands' total to 150-7.
He then took 1-21 from his three overs as the South & West were restricted to 143-5 to give the Midlands victory by seven runs.
Then in the second game against London & East after the Midlands had made 170-7, he played a key role in two late run-outs as their opponents made 149-8.
In the 50-over competition, Clarke also hit a half-century in the Midlands' thrilling one-run victory over the South & West XI.
The Midlands were eventually bowled out for 214 off the final ball of the innings.
Clarke was then involved in the last two dismissals – aiding in a run-out and then taking a catch – as the Midlands won by the narrowest of margins.
Spinner Newton took a wicket in all three games in the 50-over competition for the North, including impressive figures of 1-26 from 10 overs against the Midlands.
The youngster, who plays for Nantwich and Cheshire, was also the most economical of the North's bowlers in the T20 competition, recording figures of 2-19 and 0-17 in the two games.
The annual festival organised by philanthropist and cricket fanatic David English has helped discover many talented cricketers over the past 30 years.
More than 300 Bunburys have gone onto play first class cricket – and over 60 have represented England.
