Euxton crowned county champs

WINNERS: (Back row, from the left): Evan Powell, Adam Waring, Will Joy, Arron Boyden, Ben Liddle, Thomas Higginson. Front row (from the left): Josh Boyden, Ben Houghton, Dan Barber, Alex Woodall, Isaac Ashcroft, James Bone (captain).

The youngsters claimed the NatWest Club Championship after a comprehensive nine-wicket victory over Manchester-based outfit Stand in the county final on Sunday.

The competition pits the best junior club sides from across Lancashire, Greater Manchester and Merseyside in a 20-over format. The Euxton juniors beat teams from Leyland, Lytham and Heaton to reach the final.

They restricted Stand to 104 in their 20 overs – Thomas Higginson the pick of the bowlers with 4-15. Evan Powell guided Euxton to victory inside 18 overs, bringing up his half-century by striking the winning runs.

The Under-15s represented Lancashire in the NatWest National Championship, which sawthem take on the winners of the Cheshire competition in the next stage last Sunday.

Evan Powell, Will Joy, James Bone, Thomas Higginson and Arron Boyden are all in the Chorley District team which has reached the semi-finals of the Ainsworth Trophy, the county-wide competition for District Under-15s teams.

The Chorley District Under-11s team has also reached the same point in their county competition the Bob Hurst Rosebowl, with up to five Euxton Under-11s in the team.