Tom Cant, the Northern Diamonds senior regional talent manager, says it is “great reward” for a number of the region’s young players to gain wider recognition and has also praised senior regional debutant Maddie Ward.
Half a dozen Academy players were selected for the ECB’s North v North Talent Identification day at Loughborough the week before last, while Cant was one of two members of staff involved.
Players Trudy Johnson, Amelia Oliver, Lucy Randle-Bissell, Freya Rook, Erin Thomas and Grace Thompson all took part, as did physio Brie Spilchen.
In Game One, a couple of Tuesdays ago, a T20 win for North Blue against North Green, Johnson claimed 2-21 from four overs of seam before Oliver and Thomas, who captained, opened the batting with scores of 38 and 52. In Game Two, Blue won again. Johnson hit 50.
Cant said: “It was great reward for the players to be selected on the back of some strong performances throughout the season.
“All six players contributed throughout the day and will take away some great learnings.
Picture by Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com. Northern Diamonds Academy star Trudy Johnson is in the mix for England Under 19s selection this coming winter.
“It’s a great opportunity for them to test themselves against the best from other regions as well as work with some different coaches.
“It’s slightly strange from a coach’s perspective when one of your players is on the other team or they are up against each other. Like the players, it’s great to work in different environments and get to know your fellow Academy coaches better.
Johnson, Oliver, Randle-Bissell, Thomas and Thompson will all go on to play in this weekend’s School Games at Loughborough when six teams will take part in a T20 tournament from Friday to Sunday. Team Dunkley, Team Knight and Team Sciver-Brunt will be joined by the Under 19s sides of Ireland, Scotland and the West Indies. Cant will also be involved in coaching one of the ECB teams.
All five of those players are then eligible for selection for England Under 19s’ World Cup campaign early next year.
“It’s another chance for the girls to show what they can do,” said Cant.
“They know it’s part of the World Cup selection process, but it’s another opportunity to play against the best Academy players but also three national sides.”
Picture by YCCC. Maddie Ward (r) is presented with her senior Diamonds cap by team-mate Lizzie Scott at Chelmsford yesterday.
Clearly, the goal for such players will be to progress through to senior cricket in the coming years with either Yorkshire or Durham following the change in domestic structure for 2025.
Yesterday, at Chelmsford, their Academy team-mate Ward made her senior debut for the Diamonds in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy defeat against Sunrisers.
She impressed with 20 down the order with the bat and a catch behind the stumps.
Cant said: “It was great to have our first Academy debutant of the season with Maddie.
“In this role, there are some difficult conversations with players across the season. But telling an Academy player they are going to debut for the seniors is one of the nicer conversations to have!
“Maddie showed what she can do with the bat and gloves, and she will have grown in confidence should another opportunity arise.”
Picture by YCCC. The Northern Diamonds Academy team who faced Stars at Darlington on Friday.
The Academy season came to an end on Friday, with a tied 50-over game against South East Stars at Darlington, both sides bowled out for 169 with the Stars chasing.
Thomas with 71 and Thompson with 4-32 from eight overs of seam having taken the new ball were the standout performers.
The Diamonds then got over the line in a Super Over. Rook restricted the Stars to eight runs from her over before Thomas and Harriet Robson achieved the target with one ball remaining.
