CRICKET: Costley delight at Bunbury call-up (From Witney Gazette)

CRICKET: Costley delight at Bunbury call-up

11:00am Wednesday 11th July 2012 in Cricket

Tom Costley has underlined his potential by making the South West regional squad for the Bunbury Festival, writes Ed Mezzetti.

The 15-year-old Oxford Downs seamer is in a 14-man party for the prestigious competition at Repton School, Derbyshire from July 23-27.

Costley, from Ducklington, said: “I am really pleased with the way my cricket has been going in the past few weeks and am really looking forward to playing at the Bunbury Festival.

“It will be an experience I will never forget.”

Costley, who is part of the Gloucestershire cricket Aca-demy, was selected following three trials, starting last August.

He was observed in county, club and academy matches as the initial group of 50 boys was whittled down to 14.

Costley was recently awarded a grant by the Brian Johnston Memorial Trust, which he will use to fund his participation in the Jersey Festival with Oxfordshire Under 16s.

Downs captain and Oxford-shire’s head of youth coaching, Darryl Woods, said: “It is a great achievement.

“Tom has been in the junior academy at Gloucestershire throughout the winter and worked very hard.

“I think he has started to show the promise that everybody thought was there.

“He has got that natural ability with bat and ball and is a superb fielder as well.

“He is just becoming a very good package.

“It is great to see that we are producing time and time again talented youngsters who are performing at that level.”

Costley, who attends Henry Box School in Witney, took his first three-wicket haul for Downs in last Saturday’s draw at Horspath.

The previous week, he took three wickets for the South West in a warm-up match against London & East at Great & Little Tew.

“A 15-year-old opening the bowling in Division 1 of the Cherwell League is a great feat,” said Woods.

“They really like him in the South West set-up.

“We’ll keep our fingers crossed for him.”