North Somerset Youth Cricket League Under-15s finished runners-up in the inaugural Somerset Cricket Board Junior Festival to Taunton St Andrews.

North Somerset Youth Cricket League (NSYCL) Under-15s, made up of eight different teams from the league, entered the inaugural Somerset Cricket Board Junior Festival and finished runners-up to Taunton St Andrews.

North Somerset travelled to Taunton St Andrews, who won the toss and chose to bat on home turf. Nat Pinkney (Nailsea) made the breakthrough, followed by wickets for Jack Filer (6-0-36-2), Dominic Hill (Blagdon) (3-0-16-1), Scott Ford (Clevedon) (5-0-30-1) and Samuel Jervis (Nailsea) (6-1-27-2) as St Andrews reached 190-7 from their 35 overs.

In reply, NSYCL started positively before captain Kruz Belcher (17) and Jack Kearns (29) (Congresbury) were both caught. North Somerset slumped to 78-5 before Ford and Bradley Lucas (Weston) put on a crucial 47 run partnership before Lucas was stumped for nine.

Jack Banks (11) joined his club mate before he was also ran out and Ford reached his 50 and was forced to retire with the team score on 173. Jervis was bowled two overs later and Ford was allowed to return with six runs needed, but only one wicket remaining, but the pair saw North Somerset home.

Cleeve hosted the NSYCL home fixture against Glastonbury, who were struggling to get a side so NSYCL lent them two brothers of their squad, George Bemand (Weston) and Josh Banks (Clevedon), which added to the friendly rivalry.

NSYCL won the toss and in order to get their squad an equal chance mixed up their batting line up from the previous day as Fred Bemand (Weston) and Jervis opened. Jervis (22) batted well before George Bemand (6-0-37-4) ripped through the middle order.

Fred Bemand retired (51 off 58 balls) at the end of the 24th over to leave North Somerset on 120-5, but brought Belcher and Kearns to the crease. They accelerated the score to 207, with 87 runs coming from the remaining 10 overs , Belcher blasting 46 from 35 balls and Kearns 20 from 22.

An accurate bowling onslaught from Fox (6-3-8-4), Ferris (5-0-28-1) and Ford (4-0-27-3) dimissed eight of the Glastonbury batsmen out, with Fred Bemand taking three catches at keeper as Glastonbury were reduced to 47-8.

Further wickets fell to Warren (3-0-25-1) and Filer (1.1-0-12-1) as Glastonbury were bowled out for 117.

With three changes, North Somerset faced Taunton Deane, who won the toss and batted first on a good wicket.

Ferris (6-0-41-1), George Bemand (5-0-32-1) and Lucas (4-0-21-3) took the wickets as Deane posted an imposing 263-5.

In reply, North Somerset were never up with the rate and Ford (22), Jack Banks (21), Tom Warren (30) and Ferris (30) top scored as they finished on 229-9.

Thanks go to the Kearns family for scoring, Elaine Ford for getting players at short notice, Cleeve Cricket Club for hosting the home NSYCL game and Somerset Cricket Board for organising.