Glamorgan Cricket is launching a new Glamorgan Girls’ Academy for 2025 in partnership with Cardiff Metropolitan University.
A newly formed Glamorgan Women’s team will initially be competing in Tier 2 competitions from 2025 but will become a Tier 1 team in 2027, with the Tier 1 Academy in place from 2025.
Cardiff Met has supported Glamorgan Boys’ Academy since 2013, and this expanded partnership will see the University’s logo feature proudly across the front of shirts for both the Boys’ and Girls’ Academies as the club’s official Higher Education partner.
This announcement also marks an exciting collaboration with Gloucestershire County Cricket Club and Wiltshire Cricket to nurture elite cricketing talent.
As part of this strategic partnership, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire’s young players will feed into Glamorgan’s academy structure, beginning their journey into professional cricket through a comprehensive pathway designed to elevate and support their growth in the sport.
With the Glamorgan Academy already in full operation and Tier 1 cricket on the horizon in 2027, rising stars from the three clubs will not only gain exposure to Tier 1 Academy level training but also benefit from working with some of the region's best coaching staff and resources.
Ben O’Connell, Director of Sport at Cardiff Met, said: “We see huge opportunities to expand and develop Women’s and Girls’ cricket in Wales – both through our own academic and performance sport offer at Cardiff Met and in partnership with Glamorgan, who are at the forefront of exciting initiatives in this area.
“There is so much potential in both the Girls’ and Boys’ Academies and we are proud to be expanding our partnership with Glamorgan, playing a key role in nurturing the next generation of elite cricketers.”
Ed Rice, Head of Commercial at Glamorgan added: “Cardiff Met have been a fantastic partner for a number of years, so I’m delighted that they’ll be renewing and expanding their partnership with Glamorgan Cricket to encompass both the Boys’ and Girls’ Academies. They’re an organisation who truly share our values and our commitment to growing the Women’s game in Wales.”
This initiative forms part of a broader effort to increase visibility and support for women’s cricket in the region with Glamorgan, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire committed to creating the opportunity for young female players to progress from grassroots to professional cricket with the best training, guidance and mentorship available, setting them up for long-term success in the sport.
Aimee Rees, Head of Women and Girls at Glamorgan expressed her excitement about the launch of the Academy and the partnerships with Cardiff Met, and Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Cricket:
“We’re extremely pleased to be working closely with Cardiff Met at this exciting time for Women’s and Girls’ Cricket in Wales!
“This partnership means so much more than the logo being on the kit for both the Girls’ and Boys’ Academies. It means that we can offer a high-performance environment where players can develop
their skills and build a career in professional cricket while also being able to enhance their studies with Cardiff Met.
“Our aim is to help all of the girls on our Academy to develop into the most well-rounded people they can be, and this partnership will enable us to achieve that.
“We are also incredibly pleased to be working closely with Gloucestershire County Cricket Club and Wiltshire Cricket to enhance opportunities for young female cricketers by including a number of their talented players in the Glamorgan Academy.
“This collaboration reflects all three Clubs’ commitment to offering a high-performance environment where players can develop their skills and build a career in professional cricket. We look forward to the journey ahead and to watching this talented group of players grow and succeed.”
We are pleased to be able to name the players selected for the first Glamorgan Girls’ Academy below:
· Anna-Mae Shearn, Wiltshire
· Bea Ellis, Gloucestershire
· Emily Geach, Gloucestershire
· Eve Jackson, Glamorgan
· Flo Sharman, Wiltshire
· Isla Thomson, Wiltshire
· Katy Cobb, Wiltshire
· Libby Thomas, Glamorgan
· Mariam Sahabdeen, Glamorgan
· Megan Janczewski, Glamorgan
· Liv Daniels, Gloucestershire
· Poppy Walker, Wiltshire
· Prarthana Reddy, Gloucestershire
· Rebecca Halliday, Gloucestershire
· Sara Phillips, Glamorgan
This follows the announcement last month that Admiral have become Glamorgan Official Player Pathway Partner, a partnership that has allowed us to fast track the implementation of our Tier 1 Pathway for Glamorgan Women.