A six-strong group of talented cricketers will make the Surrey men’s Academy class of 2025.
Jack Martin, George McLoughlin, Ollie Hunt, Alex French, Ralphie Albert and Nathan Farmer will be joining the developmental programme.
Having honed their skills in the Talent Pathway for numerous years and played representative cricket for Surrey at several age group levels, these players have now been selected into the final phase of the Surrey Academy on their perceived potential to play professionally for the Three Feathers in the near future.
Regarded as one of the best set-ups in the country, the objective of the Academy is to help harness the full potential of the inductees and assist them in making the step up to professional cricket.
The well-structured programme will offer them world-class cricket coaching, provide training facilities necessary for improving their skills as well as support the group with high-quality strength & condition work, sports science, physiotherapy and sport psychology. Each player also receives a customised, extensive match programme of age group and Second XI cricket to aid their progress.
French, one of the six players selected, is a 6’5” tall right arm quick, who is travelling with England men’s U19 for a training camp in South Africa. Earlier in the summer, he also featured in one of the two U19 Tests between England and Sri Lanka, collecting four wickets in the contest at Wormsley.
Allrounder Albert, who bats in the middle order and bowls left arm off spin, was a part of the England U19 squad that won the Youth ODI tri-series against Scotland and Ireland at Loughborough in September.
Many of the current men’s squad, including Rory Burns, Ollie Pope, Jamie Smith, Gus Atkinson among others, have progressed through the Surrey pathway during their junior careers. Among the latest players to make the set-up from the Academy are explosive batter Ollie Sykes, seam bowling allrounder Tom Lawes, left-arm spinner Yousef Majid as well as fast bowler Nathan Barnwell.
In total, since 2003, over 30 men from the Academy have gone on to play First-class, List A or T20 cricket at the county level while 11 of them have gone further and earned their Three Lions cap. Among women, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Alice Capsey and Bryony Smith have climbed the Surrey pathway ladder to reach international honours.
Chris Taylor, Head of men’s Talent Pathway at Surrey CCC, said: “We are delighted to welcome our batch of 2025. They are a set of exceptionally talented young cricketers and we’re all greatly excited and looking forward to working with the group.
“We have good reason to believe that they have a bright future ahead of them, and at this crucial stage of their careers, we will do everything in power to not only ensure that they receive top-class technical coaching but also develop in an environment where they can learn and blossom as players and people.”
Learn more about the six selected players below:
1. Jack Martin
Age group: Under 18
Playing style: Right arm seam bowler
Club: Ashtead CC
School: Epsom College
Joined Surrey Pathway at: Under 11
2. George McLoughlin
Age group: Under 18
Playing style: Right arm seam bowler
Club: Reigate Priory CC
School: Worth School
Joined Surrey Pathway at: Under 9
3. Ollie Hunt
Age group: Under 18
Playing style: Left hand top-order batter
Club: Esher CC
School: Whitgift School
Joined Surrey Pathway at: Under 8
4. Alex French
Age group: Under 18
Playing style: Right arm seam bowler
Club: Esher CC
School: Cranleigh School
Joined Surrey Pathway at: Under 13
5. Ralphie Albert
Age group: Under 17
Playing style: Right hand middle order batter & left arm off spinner
Club: Banstead CC
School: Epsom College
Joined Surrey Pathway at: Under 9
6. Nathan Farmer
Age group: Under 17
Playing style: Right hand middle order batter
Club: Ashtead CC
School: Epsom College
Joined Surrey Pathway at: Under 7
