Jake Tarling made the most of his opportunity to showcase his talent by making a brilliant century for Bedfordshire against Kent in 2024.
The National Counties side gave their first-class opponents a fright before they went down to a 57 runs defeat at Dunstable but not before left-hander Jake had made 141 from 140 balls in the Showcase Match.
Jake, a product of Stamford School, was born and raised in Buckinghamshire but played his early age grade county cricket over the border for Bedfordshire.
He was then selected by Buckinghamshire at Under-18 level and made one senior appearance for them in a National Counties Championship match against Norfolk at Tring in 2023.
That was Jakeās only appearance for Buckinghamshire, who went on to win the National Counties Championship that season, but in 2024 he returned to Bedfordshire and reeled off some impressive scores.
A maiden half-century in the National Counties Trophy 50 overs competition against Cambridgeshire was followed by 57 against Lincolnshire at Dunstable and 44 in the second innings against Suffolk at Bury St Edmunds.
Jakeās century was followed by a maiden competitive century for Bedfordshire in their Championship finale, ironically against Buckinghamshire at Flitwick.
Jakeās progress has been noted by Leicestershire who included him in their Under-18s and Second XI teams in the 2023 and 2024 seasons.