Our Player Pathway Programme supports Buckinghamshire's best young cricketers to reach their potential in the game. We coach and run match programmes for Boys and Girls, and we link those between Bucks Cricket and First-Class Academies.

We asked our Girls players Professional Academies to share their experiences, offer some advice, and describe their journey through the Bucks Cricket Player Pathway into the professional game.

Vipers EPP - Alice Atkinson, Tilly Fellows, Tegan Stockdale, Daisy Turnham

Question & Answer

Q: How are you getting on at your pro county academy this winter and what have been the biggest learnings/work-ons so far?

Alice Atkinson: "I am loving getting to know all of the girls and sharing our love of cricket together. It has been amazing to get coaching from ex-England players like Beth Morgan and Charlotte Edwards, and seeing what it took for them to get to the top. I have learnt that it is ok to make mistakes and that it is what will make you improve in the long run. They have given me so many things to help to improve my game and it has also been great to be doing strength and conditioning every week to improve the fitness aspects on my game which I hadn’t worked on much before."

Tilly Fellows: "It’s been a really enjoyable first few months. The opportunity to develop my skills alongside new teammates and coaches has been really valuable. My biggest work-on has been the technical side of my batting."

Tegan Stockdale: "I have loved the Vipers sessions this year! In bowling, I have been working on my variation balls, I have developed inswing so I can have the option of both - and also my slower balls. In batting; hitting the ball straight, moving my feet against spin and developing my on side game. In fielding, I have continued to work on my diving."

Daisy Turnham: "This winter I have been enjoying every second of being at Vipers Academy.  The environment is always very supportive and the coaches are always looking to help you improve. I have been looking at being more positive in getting towards and over the ball for certain shots while batting, as well as having a strong follow-through motion while bowling."

Q: What are your aspirations/goals for the 2025 season?

Alice Atkinson: "For the 2025 season I hope to keep improving my game and take the things I have learnt during the winter nets onto the field in the summer. I would also like to improve on the season that I had last year."

Tilly Fellows: "I’m looking forward to applying all the hard work over winter to my performances this summer. I’d love to score my first century."

Tegan Stockdale: "To continue to really enjoy my cricket. I would love to score my first century and take a five-wicket-haul for county. To constantly dive in the field and to take at least one diving catch."

Daisy Turnham: "My goals for the 2025 season are to play as confidently as I can. I want to make a difference to the game whether it is batting or bowling and I want to be as helpful to the team as possible. I want to maintain a good batting average and beat my total wickets I took last year at Bucks (12)."

Q: How did Bucks help you get to where you are, and do you have any advice for younger players coming through the pathway with the same aspirations to play professional cricket?

Alice Atkinson: "Bucks have helped me over the years by giving me great coaching and encouraging me to not forget the why I started playing cricket in the first place, for the fun of it. It has been amazing to get to meet other girls who love it as much as I do and working as a team to succeed each year. To other girls coming through the pathway I would tell them to keep working hard and trying to improve their skills. It is also a great idea to keep updated with the cricket on TV and look at how they play and see if you can get any tips from how they play. People grow and develop at different rates and will get to the peak of their ability at different times so you might not always get into the top teams, but just keep going and you will get there. Remember that there will be bumps in the road but you will over come them and be a better player because of them."

Tilly Fellows: "Having been part of the Girls Pathway since U11, Bucks have provided so many opportunities to play and train. The coaches have always been really supportive. My advice for younger players would just be to keep having fun and if you enjoy your cricket, keep playing as much as you can and see where it takes you. 

Tegan Stockdale: "Bucks have helped me get where I am by, starting in U13s, believing in me and creating a fun, pressure-free environment where I could enjoy the game. The coaching at the weekly EPP sessions has been amazing. I have been lucky to have been part of this for 3 years. I am so grateful for the consistent high level of coaching since I have been in this program, and without it I wouldn’t have made this much progress. Having coaches like Chloe Hill who still plays at the top level makes the dream of being a professional cricketer seem more real. My advice for young pathway players is to enjoy the game! If you enjoy it, you will perform better. Try not to put too much pressure on yourself, and don’t compare yourself with others in the team. Everyone is on a different journey. The main thing is to have fun! Always put 100% into your training sessions, and try to learn to enjoy fielding, get involved in every ball. If you are one of the best fielders in the team it takes the pressure off your batting and bowling."

Daisy Turnham: "Ever since I joined the County at the age of 10, the coaching has been really good. It has always been very inclusive, had lots of fun drills and the coaches are always there for you to ask questions. My advice would be to always play at 100%, take advantage of the coaches knowledge and enjoy it!"