TEENAGER Jack Taylor is aiming to cement his place in the Gloucestershire side after his derby heroics against Somerset.

The 19-year-old all-rounder made his first County Championship start of the season in the draw against Middlesex at Uxbridge last week before making a dream Twenty20 debut in the two-wickets win over Somerset at Bristol.

Taylor took 4-16 as Somerset were restricted to 121-9 and then displayed supreme confidence with the bat to score 38 off 28 balls and put the Gladiators on the brink of victory before Richard Coughtrie hit the winning runs with three balls to spare.

He was only told of his place in the side moments before the warm-up and playing against the likes of England Ashes hero Marcus Trescothick and West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard in front of a near full house has whet his appetite for more.

“I want to try and be involved in all formats for the rest of the season so it’s a case of kicking on now, taking wickets and pushing on from there,” said Taylor.

“We’ve had a few second team twenty20 games over the last couple of weeks and I’ve got runs in those so I was just trying to bide my time and hope I got the opportunity and it came along.

“It was fantastic. I didn’t expect to play but when I got the nod I thought let’s go.

“Playing against these world class players is something that doesn’t happen everyday.

“I just wish the crowds were like this every game. With the temporary stands up it was a great buzz.”

Taylor’s first wicket in twenty20 cricket came when England Lions star James Hildreth swept in the air to Hamish Marshall deep on the leg side and in his next over he took two wickets in three balls, bowling Pollard with a full delivery and then having Jos Buttler caught behind by Coughtrie.

The off-spinner also had Lewis Gregory caught by Chris Taylor at long-off in the penultimate over of Somerset’s innings.

He then looked assured at the crease, charging down the wicket to hit India international Murali Kartik for four on his first ball and hitting six more boundaries before he was run out in the 19th over when caught out of his ground following a yorker by former team-mate Steve Kirby.

Taylor’s fearless approach was refreshing, a mark of the new-look youthful side emerging at Gloucestershire.

“I just tried to be positive and hit boundaries because that’s what wins twenty20 games,” he said.

“I bowled straight at the stumps and if they miss, I hit.”