RAMSBOTTOM Juniors claimed an impressive hat-trick in 2015 when three of their young players earned county honours with Lancashire.

And officials at the Lancashire League side are hoping the experience gained by Will Turner, Owen Collinge and Chris Round playing for the Red Rose will translate into further runs and wickets in club cricket this season.

Will – an opening batsman and spin bowler – has been invited to join Lancashire’s Emerging Players programme after making steady progress in the county set-up over the past four years.

The Woodhey High School pupil starred in the under-14s team last season, winning a special award for a century he scored against Cumbria.

Ramsbottom Juniors chairman Iain Round said: “As well as Ramsbottom Juniors, Will has played regularly for the second and third senior teams and by the end of last season he was opening the batting for the first team in the Lancashire League.

“He scored a century for the third team and a half century for the second team during the season.”

Both Owen and Chris have also graduated into the Ramsbottom senior ranks following their exploits with Lancashire. Owen, a seam bowler and middle-order batsman, who also attends Woodhey High, represented the full Lancashire u13s team in 2015, his third season with the county.

Round said: “Owen was also a key member of the Bury District u13s team that won the County Cup.

“In the final against Wigan he took five wickets for four runs, including a hat-rick.

“As well as playing for the Ramsbottom junior teams, he also played regularly with the seniors in the third team and made his debut for the seconds.”

Round has also been proud to watch his son Chris, a pupil at Haslingden High School, rise to prominence as a left-arm spinner and lower-order batsman.

“Chris represented the u13s Lancashire development team in 2015, which was his third year playing for the various county teams.

“He ended up as the leading wicket taker for the team with 10, including five wickets against the main Cumbria team, which earned him a special award at the Lancashire presentation evening.

“As well as playing for the Ramsbottom Juniors, Chris also made his debut for the senior third team last season.”