King's pair break national record

12:13pm Thursday 1st May 2008

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THE record books were re-written last Saturday after a sensational performance from King's College, Taunton, in their opening cricket match of the season against King's Bruton.

Opening batsmen Jos Buttler (aged 17) and Alex Barrow, 15, scored 340 in 49.3 overs to set a new 50-over national schools record. King's ended on 342-1.

Buttler, who has represented England at U-17 level, scored rapidly, hitting 25 fours and eight sixes in his unbeaten 227 - another King's record. Buttler, King's 1st XI captain and a member of the Somerset Academy, has been an outstanding wicketkeeper-batsman since joining King's in year nine, scoring two centuries for the 1st XI when he was just 15.

In the same season he went on to make his debut for the Somerset 2nd XI.

Barrow played some delightful shots to all parts of the ground, unluckily falling just five short of a well-deserved century. He is a King's cricket scholar and also part of the Emerging Players Programme at Somerset.

Former Somerset favourite, Dennis Breakwell, now head groundsman and coach at King's, said: "This opening partnership warrants every accolade it can get. It is a fantastic moment for cricket at King's and an outstanding achievement for the two batsmen."

King's bowled the visitors out for 65, with Nathan Smith (4-26) and Ross Chadwick (3-7) doing most of the damage.

Andy Jones, co-director of sport at King's said: "King's cricket has a long and established record of success. These youngsters are two of our brightest talents. Their work ethic and focus throughout their time at King's has been impressive and, along with many others, they have taken full advantage of all that King's College has to offer."