Calmore Sports Club’s Under 19 team “Calmore Cougars” have been named the 2016 NatWest U19 T20 County Club of the Year for Hampshire.

The Cougars, who won their regional group before bowing out of the competition in the semi-finals, were given the award and will receive a special coaching course at the Ageas Bowl with Hampshire Cricket coaches, which will be filmed for a web article.

xxxxxxxx

On hearing the news of his sides’ excellent achievement, a proud captain of the Cougars, Matt Taylor said.  “The lads are fully deserving of this Club of the Year award although it was a massive shame that we couldn’t reach the Finals Day when unavailability kicked in and we couldn’t quite get over the line.

“The award is testament to what the club is trying to promote as a whole, with such a tight knit group of lads on and off the pitch, which I think is the biggest reason for this award.

“Yet again, all this isn’t possible without the work of everyone at the club, creating such a good atmosphere for our T20 games, which goes unnoticed.  We hope for another successful year in 2017.”

Head coach Steve Wright was also very pleased to see the team get a fitting reward.  “I am delighted Calmore Sports have been awarded Under 19s Club of the Year,” he said.

“It is a credit to those individuals most notably Clare Taylor, Mark Stanton, Rob Lomax, Mark Lavelle, T20 kit sponsors Papadums and of course the players who made 2016 a success.  The support over the summer has been superb from families, friends and club members making our T20 games social events.

“Our under 19s side has a talented group of players and it is important as a club we continue to feed players from the junior set up into our 19s side and eventually the senior teams.  We have a strong ‘one club’ ethos and this award shows us we are heading in the right direction.”

More to follow ……