The Hampshire Cricket Academy is one of the 18 England & Wales Cricket Board’s County Academies established at each of the First Class Counties. These Academies are part funded by the ECB and are responsible for identifying, selecting and developing the next generation of players for First Class and international Cricket.

A maximum of twelve players, between the ages of fourteen and nineteen, are selected as part of the training programme in any one year. These players are usually still in full time education but gain part day release from school or college to attend sessions at The Rose Bowl at least twice a week. They follow a programme that is linked closely to the professional playing staff and creates an environment based on technical, tactical, physical, mental and lifestyle preparation where the most successful Academy players graduate into the professional game. To compliment the training programme the players also have a closely monitored playing programme to suit their needs and development path. This may include school and club matches, County, Regional and National Junior cricket as well as senior premier league and County Second XI cricket.

Former England A and Hampshire opening batsman, Tony Middleton, heads up the programme as Academy Director and has the services of the rest of Hampshire’s professional coaching team to implement a combination of one-to-one and group sessions. The additional sports science support staff is made up of Richard Thelwell (Sports Psychologist) and Kate Green (Performance Lifestyle Advisor), and Raj Maru coaches spin bowling. Hampshire’s Assistant Coach, Iain Brunnschweiler, has a close involvement with the Academy including his role as team manager for their league games.

The Hampshire Academy has made much progress in recent years and former Academy players are beginning to achieve considerable success at the top levels. In 2006 Chris Tremlett became the first player involved in the programme to progress to the international game with his debut in one day cricket. Several local players are now established as a regular part of the Hampshire First Team and at the start of the 2010 season there will be thirteen players on the professional playing staff who have progressed through the Hampshire Cricket Board development structure, including six recent graduates who have also represented England at Under 19 level.

Selection of players for the Academy is mainly from the best players involved in the junior programmes at Hampshire and the surrounding Minor Counties. It is based on the potential to progress in the game as well as performances for international and Regional Junior teams and in senior premier league cricket. The Academy players generally live within an hour and a quarter’s travel to The Rose Bowl in order to fulfil the demands of the programme.

The 2010 Academy players are:

Owen Alsop
Jake George
Robert Gibson
James Haggaty
Matt King
Jake Lilley
Wilf Marriott
Jamie Miller
Adam Rouse
Jack Sheppard
Chris Stone

Read Tony Middleton's guide to the players here: www.rosebowlplc.com/pages/tm-guide-to-2010/

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