Nathan Bowley named Talent Cricket Young Player of the Season 2018

During the 2018 season, Talent Cricket have been naming a Young Player of the Month, Nathan was chosen over fellow recipients of the monthly award, Gruffud Owen and Jack Home

Talent Cricket have named Nathan Bowley as their Young Player of the Season after the young off-spinner enjoyed a memorable 2018.

During the 2018 season, Talent Cricket have been naming a Young Player of the Month and rewarding them with a bespoke bat. Bowley was chosen over fellow recipients of the monthly award, Gruffud Owen of Wales U11s, and Jack Home of Shropshire U12s.

He overcame a knee injury to earn county recognition for the first time this season when he appeared for Leicestershire 2nd XI against both Derbyshire and Yorkshire.

On debut against Derbyshire the 17-year-old took 4-70 in the second innings to help his side to a six-wicket victory, and he took 2-30 against Yorkshire.

At club level, Bowley has been a member of Loughborough Town since he was 12 and his coach Dips Patel said that "his attitude is first class and he goes about his cricket in and steely, quiet way. This boy is learning quickly and has a bright future."

^{Nathan Bowley}

The other winners of the Young Player of the Month also enjoyed very noteworthy seasons.

Over in Wales Gruffud Owen did not have a bad 2018 either. Over 23 matches Owen notched up an impressive 695 runs at an average of 34.75.

The 11-year-old scored an imperious 123 not out for Wales U11s against Somerset U11s, as well as a dominant 111 against the touring South African side from St Stithians College for Wales U12s.

Owen represented Wales U11s in every game of 2017, and despite being a year younger than his peers, received the player of the year award.

^{Gruffud Owen}

A Kallis-esque run of form from Jack Home won him the award back in September, as he made a trio of hundred in barely a fortnight, paving the way for a Shropshire victory on each occasion.

He kicked this run of form off when he smashed 111 off 101 balls against Cheshire, before repeating the trick against Derbyshire with 103, and then followed that up with a colossal 136 not out over Oxfordshire.

Home has shown himself to be an ideal no.3, and he has mixed a solid defensive technique with some thunderous strokeplay. He was Shropshire's most prolific run scorer at under-12 level in 2018, with 549 runs to his name - 26 per cent of the team's total - at an average of 68.63.

The Cricketer would like to thank Talent Cricket for their loyal support of junior cricket in the magazine. This year, we received a record number of entries for the Talent Cricket Player of the Month award, and plans are in already in place for next season's competition. You can enter by sending in the player's name, DOB score and match along with photo where possible to clubcricketer@thecricketer.com with the subject line 'Talent Cricket'.

For unrivaled choice, attractive prices and friendly expert advice, visit www.talentcricket.co.uk