Continuity is a notable buzzword when it comes to the development of the next generation of Yorkshire stars.
It was announced last month that 46 players – both boys and girls – had been selected on both the club’s Academy and their Emerging Players’ Programme for 2027.
Twenty four Academy and 22 EPP players have already started pre-season training at Headingley under the guidance of lead coaches John Major (boys) and Jared Warner (girls) and their colleagues.
There was plenty of encouragement for both Academy sides during the summer just gone, each beaten in late-season 50-over County Cup finals.
Major’s side were beaten by Somerset at Kibworth CC and Warner’s troops undone by their Hampshire counterparts at Attenborough.
Both were rare defeats in the context of the summer, and it’s hoped that there will be more of the same when the new campaign rolls around next April.
“We have quite a similar group going forwards,” said Major of the boys’ Academy. “We’ve taken on Callum Armstrong, who has been quite prolific with the bat this year.
“We’ve also taken on George Lamb, a slow left-arm bowler and top-order batter. He’s done really well over the last couple of years. He’s played probably arguably a year or two above his age-group on quite a consistent basis.
“We’ve also taken on Theo McLelland, a seamer who’s had a really good year, and we have put Rizwan Ishfaq on as well – another right-arm seamer who had a good year.
“We’ve lost Bradley Sylvester, who has got a rookie contract with the club. That’s brilliant news. Unfortunately, Joe Thompson has been released.
“But we’ve got a lot of the same faces who have played this year, and it’s a tight-knit and exciting group.”
As for the girls’ Academy, Warner said: “There have been a few changes but not many.
“We’re really strong at the ages of 18-19 and again at 14-15. We’ve retained the vast majority of the Academy girls, and a lot of the girls at the younger end have transitioned through to make a fairly new cohort of EPP players.
“It’s always nice to have that continuity. It’s a message we try to hammer home – continuity, consistency – so the girls know exactly what to expect.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Yorkshire’s lead boys’ Academy coach John Major.
“We’ve tried to tweak a few things for this winter, and it means that we’ve got more time with the players and can hopefully make a bigger impact with them.”
The boys returned to training at the weekend just gone, while the girls have been in for longer.
“Our Under 18s final was played on September 20, which is quite late for pathway cricket,” explained Warner.
“The science and medicine team did a bit of research and, according to them, three weeks is the ideal de-load period. So we wanted to get the bowlers back in after that three weeks and also put a big emphasis on physical work.
“Across the squad, that’s an area we’ve highlighted for improvement.
“So all the Academy and EPP players have been in doing physical work, with gymnastics in there to help improve the fielding elements – you know, diving and rolling. That’s another area we’ve highlighted for improvement.”
Players from both programmes have gained winter England recognition.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Yorkshire’s lead girls’ Academy coach Jared Warner.
Subhaan Ali and Tom Bradley have been selected for a Young Lions (Under 19s) training camp in Sri Lanka at the end of this month before a December tour to Pakistan for three ODIs and a four-day Test.
Holly Garton and Amelia Oliver have been selected in an Under 19s squad for a five-match T20 tour to India later this month and into December and also for the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh and Nepal in the New Year.
Libby Fellows and Lucy Randle-Bissell have been named as non-travelling reserves, though they will link up with the main squad for a training camp in India after the T20 series, which concludes on December 6.
“We got to two Finals Days last year,” said Major.
“I know this might sound a bit strange, but I think there was huge success in the fact that the Under 18s got so close with that County Cup and then two weeks later the Under 16s went and won their County Cup final (against Surrey).
“Four or five of the lads played in both finals, and they learnt a lot from the disappointment and put it into practice second time around.
“Getting to three finals last year at 16s and 18s is really exciting.”
Picture by Ashley Allen/Getty Images. Yorkshire Academy fast bowler Gabriella Fontenla in action for Scotland at this summer’s T20 World Cup.
Major continued: “The likes of Pete Greenfield and Rizwan Ishfaq have gone, or are going, to Australia and Pakistan this winter.
“So, when everyone’s gone away come December and January time, we’ll have nine or 10 in with us who will get a bit more contact time.
“Tom Smith will be around, Matthew Wood and John Sadler, and we’re hoping that some of the senior lads will be able to give up some time to come in and work with us like Bessy, Wharts and Hilly did last winter.”
While none of the boys’ Academy have yet played first-team cricket, half a dozen of the girls have – Oliver, Garton, Randle-Bissell, Ines Blackwell, Ellie Nightingale and Amelia Love.
Despite not making her senior debut for the White Rose, seamer Gabriella Fontenla played for Scotland at this summer’s T20 World Cup.
Naturally, Yorkshire’s path from Tier 2 to 1 over the last two years has paved the way for more opportunity.
Warner said: “We have these conversations with the girls all the time. It’s two-fold, really.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. A winter Young Lions call for Academy quick Tom Bradley.
“Rich’s (Pyrah) philosophy around young players, it’s something he talks about all the time. He really wants to encourage that.
“Also, just the size of things – 15 in the first-team squad. You’re always going to get the odd injury or international call-up, and you’re always going to get somebody out of form. That then leaves you with 12 or 13 names.
“So it makes my job a whole lot easier in terms of the messaging.
“And it keeps the girls very motivated.
“When I was a young player coming through and you see some of the bowlers above me, I was thinking, ‘I’m eighth or ninth in line here’. It can be a bit demotivating.
“With our girls, though, that’s not the case.”
With both Academy and EPP programmes – and the wider pathway too – it’s not just the players, coaches and backroom staff who contribute to any success. There’s definitely a team behind the team.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Academy batter Amelia Oliver is heading to the Under 19s T20 World Cup in the New Year. Cover photo, boys’ Academy batter Peter Greenfield.
And Major was keen to pay tribute.
He added: “Now that the season’s come to a close, I want to say a big thank you to all the parents across all of the pathway.
“Sometimes they draw the short straw with taking their sons and daughters here, there and everywhere.
“Their contributions and support are absolutely vital to everything that we’re trying to do.”
