THE cricket season has barely started and already Bancroft’s School’s young players have claimed one trophy.

The eight man U15 indoor team, which included representatives from 4 year groups (year 7 through to year 10) lifted the Essex U15 Indoor Cricket Cup.

In doing so, they have beaten four of the best local club cricket sides over the past few weeks, including Woodford Wells in Round 1, league runners up Wanstead B in the quarter finals, league champions Wanstead A in the semi finals and, in a very tense and exciting final, they triumphed over Loughton Cricket Club by one wicket, seen home by a captain's innings of 55 not out from team leader Neville Jacob.

Martin Flaherty, the team coach, said: "This is a considerable achievement, winning a trophy coveted by all the local cricket teams.

"We are particularly grateful to Cliff Greenhill and his colleagues at Essex Cricket for allowing us to participate in this competition.

"Hopefully this is a demonstration that, whilst Bancroft's has a reputation foremost as an academic school, this serves to show that we also take our sport seriously."