A FUTURE Somerset captain, an England Ashes player, and several stalwarts of the local club game, feature in this photo from the Somerset County Cricket Club youth awards and presentation day that was held at the County Ground, Taunton, 15 years ago.

During the tea interval of the Totesport League match between Somerset and Derbyshire Phantoms, the age group players were presented with Somerset shirts in front of the Colin Atkinson Pavilion by 1st XI players Ian Blackwell, Matt Wood, Rob Woodman, Wes Durston, James Hildreth and Richard Timms, plus director of cricket Brian Rose.

All of the youngsters who had scored a century or taken five or more wickets in a match during the 2005 season received a trophy, and those who scored a half-century were presented with a certificate.

Among those recognised were Tom Abell, who now captains the 1st XI, and Jack Leach, who has gone on to star with England.

Jacob Lintott - who has played for Gloucestershire, Hampshire and Warwickshire in county cricket - is there, too, as is 2020’s Taunton St Andrews 1st XI skipper Lloyd Alley.

Pictured from left to right are: back row - Jason Strong (Watchet), Lloyd Alley (Bishops Hull), Alex Penn (Taunton St Andrews), Jonathan Todd (Taunton CC), Nick Egbeer (Taunton St Andrews), Calum Haggett (Ashcott and Shapwick), William Spurway (Ilminster), James Haggett (Ashcott and Shapwick), Pete Sanderson (Somerset performance director of youth cricket); front row - Alex Antunes (Taunton Deane), Jacob Lintott (Taunton St Andrews), George Cook (Taunton CC), Ben Leach (Taunton Deane), Thomas Abell (Taunton), James Jennings (Taunton), Charlie Davies (North Newton), Will Hardwick (Glastonbury), Jack Leach (Taunton Deane).

There was even more reason for Bishop Fox’s School student Leach to celebrate, as he was selected to tour the West Indies with the West of England Under-15 side the following April.

Then 14 years old, the left-arm spin bowler had won player of the region and player of the tournament at the Under-13 festival at King’s College in 2004, and while the Under-14 festival in 2005 had been affected by bad weather, Leach was presented with his West of England cap by England batsman Ian Bell.

Chard & Ilminster News:

CAP: A young Jack Leach, alongside England batsman Ian Bell

Leach played - and indeed still plays - his club cricket for Taunton Deane, and the 2005 season saw him help the Deane’s 2nd XI claim the Premier 2 title.

He took a career-best 5-24 against Thornbury, and 2-14 in the Deane’s victory against Taunton St Andrews in the Terry Mockridge Shield final

Another player selected for the West Indies tour was promising King’s College student Jos Buttler, who has gone on to have a pretty decent career with England himself...