In October, Holmesdale Cricket Club were delighted to find out that four of their junior players were selected for their respective county age group squads.
Will Huddy (U14), Max Lindsay (U15), Tom Instance and Will Harby (both U16) will now spend much of their winter training indoors with some of the best players and coaches in the county and they can’t wait to get back to cricket after what was a truncated summer due to COVID-19. That being said, they have already been given plenty of chances to impress for the Holmesdale senior sides in 2020.
Harby played the whole of last season in the 1st XI, producing some impressive displays with both bat and ball, particularly against Sevenoaks Vine on the last day of the season, scoring 89 and taking 3-17, helping Holmesdale to secure a 150-run win.
Opening bowler, Instance, and all-rounder, Lindsay, both made their 2nd XI debuts and performed admirably all season, and Huddy will be around the senior squad this year too, as the club looks to provide all of these players with opportunities for their continued development.
In addition to being selected for his respective county age group side, Harby has also been picked for the Kent Academy; the high-performance junior squad consisting of the most promising 16 to 19-year olds in the county. Will follows the likes of England international Zak Crawley and current 1st XI skipper Luke Blackaby who were selected for the Academy while playing for Holmesdale, and he can’t wait to get going.
On his selection for the Academy, Will said, “I’m really excited to train and play with cricketers and coaches of such a high calibre who are going to push me further than ever – it will be a great learning experience.” And on speaking about his experience for Holmesdale, Will added, “I loved being a part of the 1st XI last season, as I enjoyed developing under the guidance of the senior players, such as Luke Blackaby who has also been through the Kent process. Next season, I am really looking forward to playing in the Premier League. It’s the highest level of club cricket and it will be a great test to play against quality cricketers, some of whom are in the senior county set up, in really competitive scenarios. This will help me to develop my game both physically and mentally.”
The future certainly continues to look bright for Holmesdale Cricket Club and its young players.