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Clubs uncertain by Hampshire Academy proposal
Mike Vimpany - 15 September 2001
Self interest by clubs anxious to keep their own young players could hamper Hampshire's plans to field a team made up of fledgling contracted players and academy students in the Southern Electric ECB Premier League next season.
Second XI coach Tony Middleton is aware that he may need to convince some captains of the need to have the future development of young cricketers at the forefront of their minds, rather than the interests of their individual clubs.
Relegated Hungerford, whose injured captain Toby Radford is the ECB South Coach, have already said they will oppose Hampshire's plans.
Others are currently sitting on the proverbial fence, understandably waiting for Middleton is produce more details - basically on his Premier League proposals could affect them.
But it seems that some SPL clubs are losing sight of the key `development role' Premier League clubs have to play nowadays.
Middleton, who played for Trojans, Lymington and Bournemouth in the old Southern League, believes that fielding a young county team in the Premier League is an essential part of developing the most promising young players.
"Our aim is to have Hampshire competing with - and beating - the best, but to do this we must have a core of players coming through our own system and give them the best possible preparation," he points out.
Middleton wants to enter a fledgling Hawks team in the SPL at "the highest possible level" and sees an opportunity of a Hampshire XI replacing Division 2 club Cove, who are returning to their old Thames Valley League when the season ends next weekend.
Hampshire's home SPL matches would be played on either the main Rose Bowl or adjoining Nursery ground at West End.
He envisages fielding three contracted county professionals, under the age of 24 years, alongside Hampshire's Academy students and a senior ex-professional in the county XI.
"The young cricketers in the county's prospective SPL squad would be trained in a totally professional environment - and that can surely only be beneficial to their prospects of making the grade.
"If, at the end of the day, they don't make it with the county, they will return to their clubs better players and better for the experience," he added.
The successes of Hampshire YCs teams at both Under-15 and Under-17 level this season underlines the up and coming talent Middleton wants to groom in SPL surroundings.
"The Under-15s finished runners-up in the ESCA Championships, and the Under-17s got through to the ECB County Championship semi-finals this season.
"There are numerous promising players on the circuit - some not even with Premier League clubs - and many of these are ones we want to work with," Middleton stressed.
Cove's Chris Benham, Ventnor pair Ian Hilsum and Mark Mitchell, BAT Sports all-rounder Damian Shirazi and Ben Nolan (Portsmouth) are currently in the Hampshire Academy, alongside Finchampstead wicketkeeper Tom Burrows and paceman Luke Merry, who comes from Oxford.
John Francis, who made his Norwich Union League debut at Durham last week, and Chris Tremlett are past Academy students, now on playing contracts with Hampshire.
"There is no doubt that league clubs have played a major part in helping Derek Kenway, Lawrie Prittipaul, John Francis and Chris Tremlett become First Class cricketers over the past two years.
"The County Club is keen to put in place a structure where clubs can be rewarded for their endeavours in producing quality players," Middleton added.
Middleton has been busy spending time canvassing the opinions of Premier League clubs on his proposals and is digesting feedback, positive or otherwise.
He is conscious that a certain degree of `self interest' prevails amongst existing clubs, who could `lose' potentially promising young cricketers to the county side.
But the SPL may introduce a system whereby youngsters not selected for the county team can play for their own club sides.
Interestingly, Hampshire's plan mirrors a successful `Academy' project undertaken by Durham in the Northern Leagues.
Former Northants and England opener Geoff Cook has been the mastermind of a successful `marriage' whereby Durham field a Cricket Academy side in the North East Premier League.
Indeed, so successful was the Academy side last season that it finished runners-up behind Sunderland.
This season, the Durham youngsters lying in fourth place.
Northants, Warwickshire and Yorkshire have all fielded Academy sides in leagues in their specific areas, with varying degrees of success.
Middleton's proposals have got the support of the Premier League's Management Committee, with chairman Alan Bundy reminding would-be doubters "the league has an important development role to play within the ECB framework."
"But overall it's a compliment to the Premier League and its clubs that Hampshire want to put a side in it next year.
"There are obviously some loose ends to be tidied up, but I believe that having a county side in the Premier League will be mutually beneficial," Bundy added.
It is anticipated that the `fine print' to Middleton's proposals will be thrashed out when the Premier 1 captains meet in early October, after which all the SPL clubs will get an opportunity to vote the Hampshire Academy into the Premier League ... or otherwise.
Former New Zealand Test captain Ken Rutherford, who has spent the past two seasons coaching Ireland, has backed Hampshire's plan to field an Academy team in the Southern Electric ECB Premier League in 2002.
"This is just what these Premier Leagues are all about - Development Centres for the First Class players of tomorrow.
"And clubs should remember they have massive responsibilities in this direction," he said.
Rutherford, who has also captained Gauteng in the past ten years, added that South Africa's provincial sides had been campaigning for years to get Academy sides into their weekend club competitions ... without success !
© SEPCL / Mike Vimpany