Record Number of Cricketers Make County Squads

The Cricket Academy at Ellesmere is celebrating after 29 budding cricketers were selected to represent their home counties of Shropshire, Cheshire, North East Wales and Wales in the recent County and Regional trials. The Academy was founded in 2008 with the aim of developing top cricketers for the future and has seen a steady increase in the number of pupils since it started. Recent achievements have included; a successful tour of Barbados where they won four out of their five games, and the Under 15 Girls team's success in winning the SCB Lady Taverners County Indoor competition.

Ellesmere aims to allow individuals to develop their sporting talents to a level which is not ordinarily supported in schools. Young cricketers are provided with a comprehensive cricket programme that includes individualised high-quality training advice, sports psychology, physiotherapy, video analysis and links with first class county clubs. Rod Jones, Director of Ellesmere's Cricket Academy, says, "They have all done really well and we are very proud of the players who are now going on to represent their counties. Regional and National recognition for Academy pupils are one of the development goals of all the Sports Academies at the school, and this is testament to the cricket at Ellesmere which provides the support needed for players to progress into county squads and beyond."