Members of Lansdown Cricket Club may remember a callow youth of 16, introduced by club coach Dave Simpkins to Lansdown from Purton in 2010, called Craig Miles.

The recently published book on the history of Lansdown,’Horse and Cart to Helicopter’ describes Craig, in his first and only year, as

‘ …the star of the Ist XI league season’.

Playing in the Bristol and Somerset League, under the captaincy of Ashley Book, he scored 640 runs including two centuries and took 27 wickets , his year at Lansdown a crucial step in a cricket career that saw him make his debut for Gloucestershire the following May; the fourth youngest player represent Gloucestershire in a first class match.

Miles became a full time professional with Gloucestershire in 2013 and went to Warwickshire in 2019.

He was in the LV County Championship winning Warwickshire team this season and was one of the stars in the Warwickshire overwhelming victory over Lancashire in the Bob Willis Trophy final at Lords. Miles took 5-28 on the first day of the match which helped reduce Lancashire to 78 all out from which they never recovered.

Former captain Ashley Book recalls Craig impressing him with his professional approach to the game from a young age.

‘He was a top lad and it was a pleasure playing with him’.

Let’s hope that it won’t be long before another young Lansdown player is achieving similar success.