17 Dec 2015 | Cricket
Women's cricket goes from strength to strength and this week it was confirmed nineteen central contracts had been awarded for the England Women's Performance Programme for 2016-2017, whilst nine are playing in the inaugural women's Big Bash which started two weeks ago.
The Glamorgan Academy continues to play its part in the development of the game with the addition of Ella Reed joining the five girls on the programme in the first year.
The girls are progressing quickly and are certainly benefitting from being on the programme, said Richard Almond, it's been pleasing to see them progress and improve.''
Their summer performances improved immensely and the girls' teams across the board with Cricket Wales at Under 15s and Under 17s did really well.''
Commenting on all-rounder Ella Reed joining the development programme ranks after impressing in 2015, Richard continued, We've expanded from 5 to 6 girls on the programme for 2016 with Ella Reed coming on board, she had an exceptional season with the under 17s and also did well with the senior England women's team as well.
She's a top order batsman who hits the ball hard and is quite an aggressive batsman who bowls some off spin as well so it is great having her on board, and it is exciting watching her in the nets so we hope with a winter's work she will kick on to bigger things next summer.
In the wake of recent developments of the Women's Big Bash and development of Super League structures by the ECB, Almond suggested that ''it is an exciting time for women's game with the girls across the board benefiting from being on the programme.''
There's more opportunities for the girls then there have ever been before, there's the carrot of being a professional cricketer, which they haven't had up until the last few years and is something for them to work for. The super league looks an exciting prospect and hopefully we'll have some girls involved in that and then representing England.
Whether we do or don't have a franchise here in Wales the women's game here is growing fast and it's exciting for the young girls to be on the programme and they all have the ambition to go and play at the highest level for England.
The girls that are seen as good enough may well get taken across to play in the super league and hopefully there would be a reward for us for providing the talent for the Super league franchise. Regardless the franchise would be a stepping stone for the as players as ultimately they want to get to the top.