A trio of Worcestershire CCC’s promising youngsters played important roles in helping Barnt Green to reach the semi-final of the Birmingham Premier League T20 Challenge Cup competition.
Jacques Banton, a member of the 2018-2019 Worcestershire Academy intake, impressed with ball and bat in the seven wicket quarter-final win over Ombersley.
Banton, the brother of Somerset batsman Tom Banton, picked up the first two wickets as Ombersley were restricted to 105-8 after being put into bat.
Ombersely reached 52-2 but then Henry Marshall, a member of the Worcestershire Under-17 side which impressed last week in the Royal London County Cup, destroyed the middle order.
He removed Liam Gwynne (33) and also picked up the next three wickets before another member of the Worcestershire Under-17 side in Dan Meredith claimed the final two scalps.
Banton finished with figures of 4-0-16-2, Marshall 4-0-11-4 and Meredith 4-0-9-2 – a combined return of 12-0-36-8 from the Worcestershire players.
When Barnt Green replied, they lost two early wickets, including Warwickshire’s Ed Pollock, but Banton, a pupil at King’s School, Taunton, stepped up to the mark to make 32 off 31 balls with four fours.
He was third out with the total on 63 as Barnt Green reached their target in just 13.2 overs with Worcestershire Academy player Matt Davis (1-19) enjoying one success for Ombersley.
Barnt Green will take on the winners of Wednesday’s quarter-final between Berkswell and Knowle and Dorridge.
