Freeland Under 15s landed the prestigious Lady Taverners title after a superb performance on finals day at Ellesmere College in Shropshire.

The Lady Taverners is an eight-a-side, ten-overs competition run by the ECB, and Freeland, who won the south and west regional finals three weeks ago, faced stiff competition from the three other regional champions in a round-robin tournament.

In their opening game, Freeland batted first against Northern champions Lower House CC from Burnley, and after scoring briskly for the first two overs they lost two wickets in quick succession.

But opener Abi Flory held the innings together with an unbeaten 26, and with support from Kim Salway with 13 not out pushed the score to 80-4.

In reply, Lower House lost two early wickets, but their middle order dug in and set up a nail-biting finish with 12 runs needed off the last over.

Flory was again the hero again for Freeland as she snapped up two wickets including a superb overhead caught-and-bowled to give Freeland an eight-run victory.

Freeland then faced a stern test from Midlands champions Mosely.

After being inserted, they quickly found themselves on the back foot as Mosely’s opening salvo reduced them to 7-3, but skipper Carla Wood led a fightback with a defiant 24 and with 12 from Robyn Coburn Freeland finished on 77-3.

This did not look enough against a Mosely side which included five Warwickshire county players, but a tight spell of bowling from Coral Reeves pinned them down and they were restricted to 69-2.

The final game again saw Freeland batting first against Eastern winners Bell Yew Green CC from Kent.

And they produced their best performance as Coburn (27no), Flory (26no), Suzy Halsey (24) and Reeves (18) saw them to 106-5.

The Kent side mounted a determined attack on the target, but Freeland were in no mood to have the trophy snatched from their grasp, Wood leading from the front with an excellent spell of 2-19.

With Coburn chipping in with 2-22, Bell Yew Green were bowled out for 78 as Freeland sealed the title.

RESULTS Freeland 80-4 (A Flory 26no); Lower House 72-3 (A Flory 2-16) Freeland 77-3 (C Wood 24); Mosely 69-2.

Freeland 106-5 (R Coburn 27no, A Flory 26no, S Halsey 24); Bell Yew Green 78 (C Wood 2-19, R Coburn 2-22).