TALENTED cricketer Sam Swingwood put opposition batsmen in a spin at the prestigious Taunton Festival last week.

The Monmouth School pupil represented Gloucestershire under 14 boys in a tournament which also involved Buckinghamshire, Derbyshire, Devon, Middlesex and Shropshire.

Thousands of young cricketers have played at the festival over the past three decades, including several England players and many others who have enjoyed careers in the first-class arena.

Sam, who is a leg spin bowler, helped Gloucestershire to three wins from five matches, which included one defeat and an abandonment caused by the wet weather.

He took 11 wickets at the festival – four against both Shropshire and Devon and three against Buckinghamshire.

The 13-year-old has now played in nine competitive matches for Gloucestershire this summer, snapping up 25 wickets in the process.

Last month, Sam shone on his debut for the county and finished with 5-11 as he guided them to a six-wicket win at Wiltshire in the England and Wales Cricket Board’s Under-14 Cup.

Sam made a perfect start to the festival, claiming 4-35 from 10 overs against Shropshire as Gloucestershire posted 224-9 before bowling out their rivals for 190.

After Gloucestershire slipped to a five-wicket defeat to Middlesex, Sam stepped up to the mark against Devon in their third fixture.

Gloucestershire posted a modest 135 but Devon struggled to master Sam’s spinning deliveries.

He bagged 4-28 in 7.2 overs to skittle out the opposition for just 62 as Gloucestershire recorded a 73-run success in a low scoring encounter.

Sam then picked up 3-33 from 10 overs to bowl out Buckinghamshire for 169 in a three-wicket triumph for his county side.

Gloucestershire amassed 180-6 in their final fixture against Derbyshire last Friday before heavy rain curtailed play after just 35 overs.

Sam, who has just finished in Year 9 and lives in the town, has already represented Monmouth School at first team level and took part in the Castle Festival in Essex.

He is also a regular member of Monmouth Cricket Club’s first team where he plays alongside his father Paul Swingwood in the South East Wales Cricket League Division Three.

Sam, who bats left handed, is the third highest scorer for the town club this summer with 472 runs in all competitions at an average of 29.50, including two half-centuries.

The teenager has also been in good form with the ball, collecting 19 wickets for the club at 26.74, including a best haul of 4-25.