A THREE-wicket maiden from Taylor Pugh sparked victory for Herefordshire U17s over Cambridgeshire last Wednesday.

The Old Elizabethans spinner claimed his first six-wicket haul at county level, and added a run-out, to rip through the Cambridgeshire line-up and lift his side to the top of the Division 1B Championship group.

The two-day match at Colwall CC was the first of the season for the U17s, and the first of that length for many of the squad.

“It’s about developing young players for the longer form of the game,” said team manager Jim Holden.

And 16-year-old Herefordshire opener Jack Taylor took to the format like a duck to water – leading his side with 79 in a display of both patience and power.

Taylor spent almost two-a-and-half hours at the crease, in the 27-degree heat, seeing off Cambridgeshire paceman Alex Hancock before striking nine fours and also two sixes.

“I’ve never been out there that long,” said Taylor, who also plays his club cricket for Old Elizabethans.

“It’s hard in that heat.

“I spoke to a few of my club team-mates and they told me to just reduce my game to the three shots I’m most comfortable scoring off, and to leave everything else.

“I always felt that if I could get through their openers, I’d be able to get after their spinners.”

His partnership with number four batsmen George Hill (56) formed the foundation of Herefordshire’s innings, bringing scoring and stability after Ben Cooke and Jacob Broadbridge lost their wickets for a combined 10 runs.

It set the tone; Herefordshire’s next three batsmen each scored more than 20 – George Cook (36), William Ford (20) and Charlie Scott (26) – en route to a total of 299.

And the home side got a dream start in the field, with second-day hero Pugh running out Cambridgeshire opener Chris Hoole in fourth over.

However, that early advantage slipped away as Alex Jackson and Nick Taylor put together on a 131-run second-wicket partnership. It was Pugh again who came up with the breakthrough, the left-arm spinner bowling Jackson, dispatching his replacement two overs later, and finally getting Taylor out for 98, caught by Broadbridge.

Then came what skipper Will Helme would call the “turning point” of the match.

Pugh brought Alex Scully forward, clipping the ball to wicketkeeper Charlie Scott, and with his next delivery he drew the new batsmen into edging the ball to Alex Parker in the slips.

Pugh then sealed his dream over by taking out Freddie Nickolds’ off stump, leaving Cambridgeshire 83 runs behind with only two wickets left.

Two run-outs cleaned up the Cambridgeshire line-up, sealing the first-innings win.

“It’s not often Herefordshire sides win at this level – so I’m really pleased with the result,” added Holden.

“Only four of these players are actually u17s, so it’s the first time a lot of these players have been in a two-day game.

“It’s a different pace – and I thought Jack was fantastic for us.”

With the first innings win secured, Herefordshire went into a second innings looking to add bonus points with limited time and without Taylor – who picked up a hip flexor injury.

Ford knocked 30 off 29 balls to see the home side to 100 – and claim their 18th point of the match.

Hill (21) and Cooke (19) also contributed in what was a more patient innings, Herefordshire going at 2.5 runs an over until Ford’s introduction.