Derbyshire County Cricket Club is delighted to announce the Boys’ Academy intake for the 2025 season.
The Academy, headed up by Head of Talent Pathway, Daryn Smit, will be working throughout the winter period with 11 young cricketers, from the ages of 16 to 18, training at The County Ground.
The players will be working closely with Derbyshire County Cricket Club coaching staff and support staff including Ben Hutchinson (Player Pathway Coach), Mark Smallwood (Player Pathway Coach), James Fitzgerald (Strength & Conditioning Coach) and Yasir Raza (Physiotherapist).
Five new players come into the Academy for the first time, they are:
Hassnain Akhtar
Freddie Clarke
Sam Cliffe
Ayman Karim
Danny Chapman
With Yousaf Bin Naeem and Harry Moore graduating into the first team over the past 12 months, these players provide excellent role models and aspiration for our upcoming generation of Derbyshire cricketers.
The Academy squad for 2025 is as follows:
Hassnain Akhtar (Quarndon CC), Danny Chapman (Stony Stratford CC), Freddie Clarke (Alrewas CC), Sam Cliffe (Cheadle CC), Digby Evans (Hayfield CC), Jake Green (Spondon CC), Joe Hawkins (Moddershall CC), Ayman Karim (Clifton CC, Notts), Zak Kelly (Hyde CC), Harrison Parker (Swarkestone CC), Matty Stewart (Cutthorpe CC)
Daryn Smit said: “We have seen huge success over the past few years with Academy players going on to play in the first team, which should be the benchmark for all our youngsters.
“The Academy is the first step to prepare our players for life as a professional and the environment we create and foster is geared right up for that. So for us to see our former graduates flourish on the county scene gives us great confidence moving forwards over the next few seasons.”
Emerging Players Programme squad
Derbyshire County Cricket Club is delighted to announce the Boys’ Emerging Players Programme intake for the 2025 season.
The Academy headed up by Daryn Smit (Head of Talent Pathway) will be working throughout the winter period with 14 young cricketers from the ages of 13 to 15 training at The County Ground.
For these players, it is a great opportunity to hone their skills and fitness levels with the contact time they will get with the coaches and support staff.
The EPP intake for 2025 is as follows:
Luqman Afzaal (Spondon CC), George Blount (Quardon CC), Theo Brown (Swarkestone CC), Tommy Bush (Cuckney CC), Lewis Dent (Rolleston CC), Oscar Edwards (Leek CC), Lucas Green (Spondon CC), Archie Griffiths (Rolleston CC), Arnav Jumle (Notts and Arnold CC), Dan Spiers (Alrewas CC), Ben Wilson (Glossop CC)
The winter programme will consist of coaching for two hours at a time, twice a week focusing on individual and small group work. This will include identifying different themes, technique and game scenarios for both red and white ball.
Ben Hutchinson said: “We have seen multiple players now progress through the EPP into the academy now, that’s brilliant to see as a group of coaches.
“Starting the players at a young age and preparing them for potentially senior cricket at this Club is a priority, and we’ve seen brilliant success over the past couple of years doing this.
The EPP squad is extremely strong and competitive, which only serves as a benefit for the development of the players throughout the season as they get older.”
