FROM 2017 onwards Wiltshire Cricket will be launching an inaugural county 2nd XI, which will be jointly managed by Wiltshire Cricket Limited and Wiltshire County Cricket Club.

The team replaces the previous Wiltshire Academy team and will provide a clear link in Wiltshire’s player pathway between age group cricket and the Wiltshire first team.

It represents an exciting new link between the Cricket Board and the club, which will lead to a wider pool of players being monitored by the first team.

Wiltshire also hope that the new identity of what was previously the Academy will lead to a renewed enthusiasm for players to play for this team, in an effort to stake a claim for full county recognition.

The launch of a county 2nd XI will provide opportunities for players who have perhaps recently progressed out of U17 cricket or who are performing well at club level.

Much like the Academy, there will be a 12-week indoor winter coaching programme for the 2nd XI.

However, this will be specifically for players, aged post-U17s, so as to avoid any clash with the county U17 programme and to give both programmes a clear identity in terms of which programme they should attend.

Whilst there will not be an upper age limit in terms of the winter programme, the selection group will be looking at young players aspiring for county recognition who have the time and commitment to attend a 12-week coaching programme.

Selection for the 2nd XI winter programme will be decided by a group consisting of representatives from the Cricket Board (U17 manager and coach), representatives of the 2nd XI team (manager and coach) and the Wiltshire team manager and coach.

Clubs in the top three tiers of club cricket will be able to nominate players for invitation to the 2nd XI programme, with Wiltshire playing a series of fixtures against other county 2nd XIs. For information on the new county 2nd XI please contact Pete Sykes at pete.sykes@wiltshirecricket.co.uk or Neil Shardlow at neil1847@yahoo.co.uk.