Oxfordshire Cricket has the responsibility for delivering an National Counties Emerging Players Programme in accordance with the requirements of the County Partnership Agreement with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) began funding Boys National County Emerging Players Programmes (Boys EPP) in October 2020 with Oxfordshire awarded a programme the same year. The Boys EPP was formerly known as the Oxfordshire and Sussex Cricket Academy when the partnership between Oxfordshire and Sussex Partnership began in 2013 and remains connected to Sussex CCC as part of the partnership between the two counties.

The aim of the Boys EPP in Oxfordshire is to produce Academy and Professional players through an individualised programme of specialist skills coaching, conditioning, physiotherapy, and educational workshops to accelerate the progression of identified players of high-potential aged between 13-18. The Boys EPP offers a clear pathway into First Class County (FCC) academies and professional cricket, primarily through a formal partnership with Sussex County Cricket Club (Sussex CCC). Sussex CCC have the first option on registering Oxfordshire players onto their Academy with the long-term aspiration that those players will go on to represent Sussex CCC. Where this transition route is not taken, the OCB remains committed to supporting players in accessing other opportunities, with the overarching goal of developing players capable of progressing into FCC academies or professional cricket programmes. The Boys EPP also plays an important role in producing the right quantity, quality, and skill-discipline depth of players capable of performing in the Oxfordshire Men’s 1st and 2nd XI programmes.

The Boys EPP provides longitudinal opportunities for development to establish the crucial foundations of future performance by delivering a periodised programme that comprises preparation and competition phases.The significant majority of these development opportunities take place locally at Magdalen College School within Oxfordshire, whose comprehensive facilities, including the Sports Hall, Gym, Studio and Classrooms enhance the quality of the talent development environments that we can deliver. The Sussex Academy Director and specialist coaches travel to Oxfordshire to attend the Boys EPP to reduce travel barriers or requirements to Sussex CCC. Players selected onto the Boys EPP do attend activity with Sussex CCC when there are opportunities for intensive exposure within training camps, typically occurring during School holiday dates or post exam periods. Oxfordshire Boys EPP players may also represent Sussex CCC within ECB competition and/or friendly matches as part of the ECB Dual Registration process and relationship between the two counties.

The OCB’s player recruitment strategy for the Boys EPP is underpinned by best practices for talent identification and selection, prioritising high-potential players with the greatest potential for long-term success. The player recruitment process for the Boys EPP follows a structured timeline with multiple stages to help achieve the player recruitment aims that are designed to be equitable, robust, and systematic. The OCB Performance Director has the responsibility for leading the selection process for the Boys EPP, chairing the Boys EPP Selection Committee, which is ultimately responsible for all player selections. The primary goal is to make selection decisions for the Boys EPP between the period of 1st November and 31st October each year.

Please contact Performance Director, Matthew Barnes at [email protected] for further information on the Boys EPP.