BRANDESTON Hall student Ralph Taylor has completed an exceptional season with the bat, after scoring 515 runs at an average of 171.6.

Ralph scored two centuries – 105 against Ipswich School and 119 not out against Moreton Hall. Brandeston Hall recognise scoring a hundred for the 1st XI with the planting of a tree, and Ralph has finished his Brandeston career with a total of four trees planted in the grounds of the school.

Ralph moved to Framlingham with his family from Kent when his father, Paul Taylor, was appointed Headmaster of Framlingham College. Ralph can take inspiration from his father, who was a professional cricketer in his first career before teaching. Ralph is part of the Kent Cricket Youth set-up and has captained the county in his respective age groups. He has been having regular coaching from the College and Brandeston cricket professional and Suffolk all-rounder Ben France.

Ben recently felt that Ralph had shown enough potential to deserve selection for the Framlingham College 1st XI, despite being a Year 8 at the prep school, Brandeston Hall. This is sometimes the case with exceptional players and it was only a few years ago that Robert Newton (now of Northamptonshire CCC) made his debut shortly after joining Framlingham College as a Year 9.

France said: “Ralph is an exceptional talent and has an excellent head upon his shoulders. He displays quality both in the classroom and on the sports field. Ralph has become taller and stronger this season and now that he is using a full size bat he is much more powerful.

“I have been doing a lot of work with him on the bowling machine and he is working at speeds that most adults would find challenging. If he continues to work hard then there is no reason why Ralph could not go on to play professional cricket.”