A Sussex school has won a national title at Lord's.

Brighton College lifted the ECB girls under-15 indoor crown.

It was the first time they had entered the competition.

Captain Sarah Taylor led by example with 126 runs in total and Holly Colvin chipped in nine wickets during the six-match finals.

The title-decider went down to the wire when rookie Emily Turner clinched victory by defending her wicket in the final over of the last match against defending champions Headstone Manor (London).

Brighton College were on 53 in reply to Headstone's 51, but the loss of a wicket would have reduced their total by three.

Taylor, 14, said: "Emily is more used to playing netball than cricket but she defended her wicket for six balls and came off screaming with delight.

"The rest of the team were screaming back at her. It was a great moment. It was tense and scarey watching those last six balls.

"It was an exciting way to secure the trophy at the home of cricket.

"The fielding was a big plus. I put Katy Czajkowski at square leg because she has quick eyes. She ended up with bruises because she was so close to the bat but she was smiling at the end like the rest of us."

Sarah won the Lord's Taverners county cricketer of the year competition at Lord's last year.

She said: "It was great to come back and I'd rate the Brighton College win as my high point in cricket so far."

Sarah received the trophy from England captain Clare Connor, a Brighton College teacher who helped coach the team.

She said: "Clare was such an inspiration for us. She is a clubmate of mine at Brighton and Hove. It's been quite a year."

Manager Mike Edmonds said: "The games were all close but the girls held their nerve well, particularly in that last match.

"The girls played magnificently and Sarah and Holly excelled.

"In this kind of cricket tight bowling and razor-sharp fielding wins the day. On a day when everyone fielded like demons, Katy was brilliant.

"It is a competition helpful to the development of players. Getting runs subtracted encourages attacking batting and bowling."

Brighton College: Sarah Taylor, Holly Colvin, Verity Carr, Emily Turner, Harriet Broun, Meg Robertson, Lauren Hutcheson, Serena Neylen, Katy Czajkowski.