James Martin, Yorkshire’s head of the performance pathway, says he “couldn’t have been more pleased” with the start to the summer for the boys’ Academy group.
Martin is spending his summer combining his regular role with that of the lead coach of the boys’ Academy following the recent departure of Tom Craddock, who is going travelling imminently with his Canadian wife and young family.
The summer is in its early stages, but there have been immediate signs of positivity for Academy/Under 18s group, be it through results, individual performances and second-team exposure.
The Under 18s have beaten club sides Methley and Clifton Alliance in 50-over friendlies as well as Nottinghamshire and Worcestershire. In addition, they also beat Durham in a two-day fixture.
There have been five-wicket hauls for Jay Singh, Will Bennison, Bradley Sylvester, Emerging Players Programme bowler Charlie R Taylor, wickets and runs for Ed Burch, who has been captaining the county, and centuries for openers Tom Fraine and Owen Smith.
In the Notts game, wicketkeeper-batter Joe Thompson posted 122, while in the Durham two-dayer – Yorkshire won it by 263 runs – Fraine hit a first-innings 177 and Smith a second-innings 121. In the Worcestershire game yesterday, new-ball seamer Sylvester claimed six wickets in bowling the hosts out for 128 before Smith and Fraine hit unbeaten half-centuries in a 10-wicket win.
The list goes on…..
In a second-team three-day friendly win against Warwickshire at the Edgbaston Community Ground, Bennison opened the batting and, in the second innings, hit a stunning 203 not out as the visitors chased a target of 403 in 72 overs on the final day to win by seven wickets.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com. Will Bennison has scored a second-team double century during the early stages of the summer.
In all, five Academy players – Bennison, Burch, Singh, Sylvester and Charlie H Taylor – have been exposed to second-team cricket during the first three matches against the Bears and Lancashire, two of which were won.
“The great thing is that there have been performances with bat and ball in both the Academy and second-team matches. The lads have transitioned from one to the other really nicely, which has been great to see,” said Martin.
“You just couldn’t be more pleased, really.
“The communication between myself and Tom Smith (second-team coach) is really good, and the lads are performing in both the Academy and second-team. And we have lads knocking on the door from the EPP below that.
“Especially with it being a big time of year for us in managing the lads in and around their exams, we couldn’t have asked for more.”
The flow of the Academy/Under 18s summer sees all-format friendlies interspersed between three competitions, the T20 Cup, the 50-over County Cup and the three-day Championship competition.
The T20s start with the North Group stage played across three days at neighbours York and Clifton Alliance Cricket Clubs between May 27 and 29. All six northern counties will be there.
Yorkshire then play Northumberland in Round One of the County 50-over Cup on June 30. That is a competition they are defending having won it last September.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com. Owen Smith has impressed during the early stages of 2025.
Then Yorkshire play five three-day Championship matches in a competition which is limited to a North Group stage only. That takes place between July 22 and August 28.
The northern counties playing their entire T20 group stage across three days in York is happening for the second year running.
“It went really well last year,” said Martin.
“It feels like a real event, getting the best players across the North and Midlands in one place.
“The only thing we’ve slightly changed is the days of the week which we’re there. We’ve gone from a Wednesday-Friday to a Tuesday-Thursday. Mainly, that just allows the lads an extra day of rest and recovery if they’re playing Saturday or Sunday cricket at club level or with their Academies.
“It also helps out York and Clifton Alliance, giving their ground-staff another day to prepare for their weekend matches. We can’t thank them enough for using their facilities. The work they do is fantastic.”
Martin is set for a busy summer as his role of head of the performance pathway also includes responsibility for the girls’ Academy and Emerging Players Programme.
“The way Chris Brice, Jared Warner, Mark Harrison and also Rich Pyrah have seamlessly integrated things from the seniors through to the Academy and age-groups, it’s probably as aligned as we’ve ever had the structure,” he continued.
Picture by Simon Wilkinson/SWpix.com. Chris Brice is the lead coach on the girls’ Academy. The girls’ and boys’ Academy programmes run side by side.
“The messaging from the top down has been exceptional. That’s the same with the boys as well.
“What we’re offering across both spaces, I believe is top drawer.”
With the boys’ Academy, while progressing players is the primary objective, they will hope to repeat the 50-over County Cup success of last year, when they beat Middlesex in the final at Kibworth.
“That was the icing on the cake of a really good year last year,” said Martin.
“The most positive thing about that was there were eight or nine under 17s in that team as well as an under 16. They’ve transitioned into Under 18s this year.”
Last year, those younger players were joined by the likes of Jawad Akhtar, Noah Kelly and Alex Wade, who have all now signed rookie professional contracts and are in senior contention. And if, come September, we are talking about more youngsters stepping up to Anthony McGrath’s squad, that will be the biggest success.
“The group we’ve got at the minute are an exceptional group of cricketers, and multi-skilled,” said Martin.
The Yorkshire-born former Essex leg-spinner had been the county’s lead Academy coach since the start of 2023.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com. Jawad Akhter captained the Academy to the County 50-over Cup title last summer and has progressed through to gain a maiden professional contract for 2025.
“The contribution Tom has made to Yorkshire has been fantastic – the way he’s nurtured these young cricketers,” he added. “Fundamentally, performing out on the field, he’s played a massive role in that.
“We wish him all the best with his young family.”
