Stroud youngsters join elite academy (From Stroud News and Journal)

Stroud youngsters join elite academy

TWO cricket-mad Stroud youngsters enjoyed one of the proudest moments of their fledgling careers on Sunday when they enrolled as members of Gloucestershire County Cricket Club's inaugural academy squad.

Ashley Davies, a 17-year-old all-rounder from Stonehouse and Louis Gegg, (13) a wicketkeeper batsman who lives at Bisley were both selected for the squad of 14 last week and took part in their first training and coaching session at the newly-instigated academy at Gloucestershire's indoor cricket centre on Sunday.

They will attend similar weekly training sessions throughout the winter and if they progress along the right lines, both boys could one day find themselves playing for Gloucestershire's County Championship side.

Ashley, who left Maidenhill School earlier this year to begin a career as an apprentice electrician, is a product of Frocester Cricket Club's flourishing junior section, having joined the club as a 12-year-old, since when he has made rapid progress through the ranks at club and county youth level.

An accurate off-spin bowler and right-hand batsman, Ashley graduated from Frocester second X1 to play a couple of senior games in the 2001 season, but last summer became a first-team regular, batting at number four and taking useful wickets in Frocester's Glos and Wilts Division 1 championship-winning side, one of the highlights of his season coming when he scored his maiden century against touring side Old Edwardians.

He has also turned out regularly for Gloucestershire at under 16, under 17 and under 19 level, winning the under 16 bowler of the year award. He has twice taken five wickets for the under 17 team, helping them to reach the semi-finals of the national inter-county competition, while at under 19 level his best figures were 3-40 off 25 overs.

Ambitious "I am really delighted to be selected for the academy and I am really looking forward to the sessions although I know it will be hard work," he said last week. "It will involve a lot of hard fitness work as well as coaching, but I am ambitious to play at the highest level I can. I have already been told that if I work hard at my game I might get a first team chance next season so I will do everything I can to achieve that target," he said.

Ashley is already attend coaching sessions at the Gloucester University campus and Rendcomb College and also works with Gloucestershire CCC coaches Andy Stovold and Tony Wright, while former county player, Nick Trainor, who now plays for Frocester has given him invaluable help at club level.

For 13-year old Louis Gegg, son of former Stroud first team captain Richard Gegg, the news that he had been selected for the academy came like a bombshell out of the blue, but he too is thrilled at the opportunity.

"It's just unbelievable, absolutely brilliant, and I will try my very best to make the most of the chance," he said.

Like Ashley, whose father Peter played cricket for Chalford, Louis had his first experience of cricket, playing with his father as a toddler, and he has made rapid strides, since first taking up the game seriously as a ten year-old when he too enrolled in the Frocester junior section set-up.

However, he only stayed there for one season before joining his father's club Stroud, where has played for the under 15 side, the club third team and also for his local club Bisley.

A promising wicket-keeper and a more than useful batsman, he was selected for Gloucestershire under 13's last summer, keeping wicket and in his own words 'scoring a few runs' and not surprisingly his cricketing hero is Gloucestershire and former England stumper Jack Russell, one of Stroud's legendary sporting figures.

He has regular coaching sessions, with ex-county keeper Andy Brassington, who gives him tuition with the gloves, while Tony Wright supervises his batting progress and he has also been coached by county head coach John Bracewell and first-team stars Alex Gidman and Tim Hancock.

A pupil at Thomas s Keble School, Eastcombe, Louis already has several major cricketing goals in mind in terms of his cricket ambitions, but due to his age he may have to wait a little longer than Ashley to achieve them.

"Next season I would like to be good enough to play for Stroud 2nd X1 and it's my ambition to one day play cricket for Gloucestershire and for England," he said unhesitatingly.

Jack Russell would surely approve of that focussed schedule of intent and who knows? One day, in the not too distant future, Ashley Davies may join a long line of great Gloucestershire spinners and Louis Gegg might well fulfil his youthful promise and emulate his illustrious hero.

For more South Gloucestershire sports news, see this week's SNJ.