Player Pathway Structure & Info

OUR PLAYER PATHWAY PROGRAMME SUPPORTS BUCKINGHAMSHIRE’S BEST YOUNG CRICKETERS TO REACH THEIR POTENTIAL IN THE GAME. LED BY OUR HEAD OF PATHWAY JAMES SAVORY, WE RUN U11 TO U18 COACHING AND MATCH PROGRAMMES FOR BOYS AND GIRLS. THEN LINKING WITH BUCKS CCC AND FIRST-CLASS ACADEMIES.

The Bucks Player Pathway starts every year at the end of the summer. Each Bucks club nominates the players who they believe have performed well and are deserving of a chance to enter our programme. Players who are selected at out Nomination Days are invited to Winter Training Programmes to get ready for a summer of fixtures and tours. We also deliver additional Skill Zone and Game Zone sessions across winter, which are open to non-pathway players also.

 

OUR APPROACH

Bucks Cricket Player Pathway Information 2024 document is available in pdf format here

This information is explained on a video on our YouTube channel, by Bucks Cricket's Head of Performance, Jason Harison, Player Pathway Manager, James Savory, and CEO, Rich Hudson here

It includes: Bucks Cricket pathway programmes, pathway into Bucks Men and Women's 1st XI, Northants CCC and Southern Vipers partnerships, pathway aims, the annual cycle, what we look for in players and how parents can best support the process.

 

Structure by Age Group

Bucks Cricket are delighted to announce the structure of the 2022-2023 programmes.

Nominations requests are sent to clubs around May with selection days conculding at the beginning of September. 

Click on the age groups below for more details.

WTP = Winter Training Programme

 

2022-2023 Regional Programme

All players invited onto Winter Training Programme 1 (WTP1) at the u11 to u13 age groups will represent 1 of 4 regionally based squads, these are:

North (Milton Keynes & N. Aylesbury Vale) Lead Coach: James Savory (james.savory@buckscricket.co.uk)

East (Chilterns) Lead Coach: Joseph Rance (joseph.rance@buckscricket.co.uk)

South (South Bucks) Lead Coach: George Morris (george.morris@buckscricket.co.uk)

West (Wycombe and S. Aylesbury Vale) Lead Coach: James Savory (james.savory@buckscricket.co.uk)

All players selected for their respective regions will receive 18 hours of squad coaching through the winter and compete across 35/40 over & Twenty20 formats through the 2023 season, activity takes place on Sundays and School Holidays.

 

15 players have been selected for each region meaning there are 60 players in total at each age group:

Boys U11- 60 players selected from 98 players attending nomination sessions.

Boys U12- 60 players selected from 106 players attending nomination sessions.

Boys U13- 60 players selected from 103 players attending nomination sessions.

2023 County Age Group Programme

In addition to our regional programme, we have Bucks County Age Group squads at u12 and u13. Squad selection sessions will take place in early December, players will be put forward for these sessions on the recommendation of their regional coaches based on what they have seen through the first phase of regional coaching (WTP1).

Players selected for the u12 and u13 County Squads will receive 3 County Squad sessions in addition to their regional squad training (additional cost). As in previous years there will be external fixtures against neighbouring counties and a residential tour.

County Age Group coaching teams for 2023 & squad numbers

Boys U12s - George Morris & Jack Gibbins - 14 players

Boys U13s - James Savory & Joseph Rance – 15 players

 

Nominations for 2023/2024 Season 

All players who are involved in the these regional squads will automatically be put forward for nominations next summer and therefore will not have to be nominated by their clubs.

Players selected at nominations for each squad U14-18 receives 12 hours delivery of outdoor training at clubs which concludes in the middle of October (WTP1).  

Final squads were decided after this and split into County & Development at U14. There is only 1 squad at U15s, U16s & U18s. 

WTP2 starts at the end of January and concludes in April receiving another 12 hours coaching indoors and a further 5 hours outdoors in the Easter Holidays. 

Please note that in age groups where there are county & development splits, players can move up and down at the coach's discretion depending on the players development. 

Fixture Plan & Squad Sizes: 

B14s: County & Development Squads (approx. 14 players per squad) 

  • County team friendlies + ECB competition (40/40) + tour/festival. Sundays throughout the summer and occasional midweek in holidays. 

  • Development team to play in U15 club longer format league (midweek) & friendlies vs other counties (Sundays & midweek in holidays) 

  • Fixtures run from May-August 

B15s: 1 big squad of approx. 26-28 players 

  • There is no ECB comp at U15 anymore (now at U16),so will provide a summer programme consisting of friendlies vs neighbouring counties in a range of formats (County & Development) and play in Club U17 T20 comp in summer holidays. 

  • Fixtures run from May-August 

B16s: 1 squad (approx 14 players. Encouraged to play high performing U15s up at this age) 

  • ECB comp (50/50). This has been created to include high performing U15 players as well. Selection for this will be based on performances in WTP2 and early season fixtures. 

  • Friendlies May-June, ECB Fixtures mostly in July-August after exams. Mainly Sundays with a few midweek. 

B18s: 1 squad (approx 15 players) 

  • ECB Comps for multi-day (summer holidays)  50 over knockout (June) & T20 cricket (July) 

  • Friendly Fixtures in April-June but not many with exams. 

County coaching teams for 2022-2023: 

Boys U14s 

Justin Pieris (jpieris@gmail.com) & Harvinder Singh (sheemar1@hotmail.co.uk)

Boys U15s 

Richard Hudson (richard.hudson@buckscricket.co.uk) & Stu McLaughlin (stumc14@hotmail.co.uk)

Boys U16s & Boys U18s 

Jason Rance (jason.rance@buckscricket.co.uk) & Malcolm Roberts (m205r@btinternet.com) 

2023 Training Programme Group 

Players invited to this group are not part of the main WTP1 group but have been highlighted as players with potential. The purpose of this Programme is to help improve skills & take their game to the next level. They will be the next players in line for pathway selection & may well be included in the main squad if performances in the winter sessions merit selection (or if we need to replace players through injury/dropouts). 

U14-U15 Training Group (15 Players) 

  • Part 1 Training takes place in Nov-Dec consisting of 6 hours coaching. 

  • Part 2 Training takes place after Christmas again consisting of 6 hours coaching. 

There will, however, be no fixtures arranged for this group although last year some players were given the opportunity to play for the main squad due to injury/being unavailable. 

At U17 *New for 2022/2023* we have arranged for additional training (9 hours coaching Jan-March) for players who didn’t make the main squad for the U18s. This group will also be entered into the U19 Club league for T20 fixtures. 

Nominations for 2023/2024 Season 

All players who are involved in the main squads (includes U14 development) will automatically be put forward for nominations next summer and therefore will not have to be nominated by their clubs. The Training Squad players will not be put forward automatically and will need to be nominated by their clubs/schools. 

To be updated.

U11 & U13 

U11-13s receive 12 hours indoor coaching from November-December in WTP1. At these age groups every player selected from the nomination days stay in the programme through to the Summer. U11s have 1 squad and U13s are split into County & Development after WTP1. 

WTP2 starts at the end of January and concludes in April receiving another 12 hours coaching indoors and a further 5 hours outdoors in the Easter Holidays for all U11-U18s. 

U15 & U18 

U15 & U18’s receive 12 hours delivery of outdoor training at clubs which concludes in the middle of October (WTP1). Final squads were decided after this and split into County & Development at U15 with only 1 squad at U18s. 

WTP2 starts at the end of January and concludes in April receiving another 12 hours coaching indoors and a further 5 hours outdoors in the Easter Holidays. 

Please note that in age groups where there are county & development splits, players can move up and down at the coach's discretion depending on the players development. 

County coaching teams for 2022-2023 

Girls U11s 

Emily Hunt (emily.hunt@buckscricket.co.uk) & Paul Maddock (paul.maddock9@live.com)

Girls U13s 

Chris Mitcham (mitchycoo@me.com) & Paul Loveland (Paul.Loveland1@virginmedia.co.uk)

Girls U15s 

Chloe Hill (chloehill97@hotmail.co.uk) & Janet Godman (jan.godman@hotmail.co.uk) 

Girls U18s 

Chloe Hill (chloehill97@hotmail.co.uk) & Janet Godman (jan.godman@hotmail.co.uk) 

Fixture Plan & Squad Sizes 

G11s (approx 18 players) & 13s (approx 28 players) 

  • Internal matches April/May. 

  • External friendly matches May-August for the remainder of the season (variety of formats-T20, 100 ball, 30/30 etc). Tour for U11s & U13 teams depending on availability. 

G15s (approx 28 players) 

  • County team play in ECB competition (40/40 & T20s) matches where we must avoid Sundays to allow club cricket to pick strongest possible teams. There are a couple of exceptions earl season where we have a couple of Sundays but predominantly midweek in May half term & summer holidays. 

  • Development play friendly matches vs other counties organized including different formats (T20, 40/40).  

  • Fixtures across May-August. 

G18s (approx 20 players) 

  • ECB competition (40/40 & T20s) & friendly matches where possible if scheduling allows. Same as U15s having to play midweek. 

  • Matches can’t clash with U15 girls & Women’s matches due to staffing and player crossover. 

  • Fixtures mainly after exams in July & August. 

Women (no set number. Players selected from pathway plus U19 and above) 

  • ECB T20 competition (April-May Sundays).  

  • 50/50 Southern Vipers Cup (June-August). 

  • Friendly fixtures where scheduling allows. 

2023 Training Programme Group 

  • Players invited to this group are not part of the main WTP1 group but have been highlighted as players with potential. The purpose of this Programme is to help improve skills & take their game to the next level. They will be the next players in line for pathway selection & may well be included in the main squad if performances in the winter sessions merit selection (or if we need to replace players through injury/dropouts) 

U13 Training Group (14 Players) & U15-16 Training Group (14 Players) 

  • Part 1 Training takes place in Oct-Dec consisting of 12 hours coaching for U13s & 6 hours for U15-16s. 

  • Part 2 Training takes place after Christmas again consisting of 12 hours coaching for U13s & 6 hours for U15-16s. 

There will, however, be no fixtures arranged for these groups although last year some players were given the opportunity to play for the main squad due to injury/being unavailable. 

Nominations for 2023/2024 Season 

All players who are involved in the main squads (includes U14 development) will automatically be put forward for nominations next summer and therefore will not have to be nominated by their clubs. The Training Squad players will not be put forward automatically and will need to be nominated by their clubs/schools. 

To be updated.

 

PATHWAY COSTS

View the costs of our programmes here.

Financial support is available from Bucks Youth Cricket Trust. For more information please contact stuart.beck@buckscricket.co.uk