INTERVIEW: Head of Girls Talent Pathway Stewart Davison discusses 2026 success
Lancashire Cricket’s Head of Girls Talent Pathway Stewart Davison says it is “incredibly rewarding” to see the success the academy has had in Lancashire Women’s season in 2026.
The Red Rose have given debuts to four homegrown players this season, with Venus Weerappuli becoming a regular in Chris Read’s side. Olivia Brinsden has played twice, with Skye Thomas and Olivia Cunliffe making their debuts in the final Vitality Blast game against Durham.
Davison, who oversees the girl’s talent pathway and leads the academy programme at Lancashire, expressed his pride at the number of academy debuts this season.
“Seeing players, our highest potential players, go on and succeed, make debuts for the for the first team, it’s a huge part of why we do what we do.
“It’s incredibly rewarding for everyone that’s involved. We’ve got an incredible coaching team, led by Chris Read, he really sets the tone from the top down, with the amount of work he does within the academy.
“It’s really rewarding for us as a group to see that those young players go on and have the success that they’ve had.”
It has been a superb breakthrough year for Weerappuli, who finished as Lancashire Thunder’s leading wicket taker in the Vitality Blast, with 15 wickets in 10 games, averaging just 15.26.
Davison was not short of praise for her dedication to the game, which has stood the young leg-spinner in good stead during her short professional career so far.
“Venus’ passion for the game is the thing the sets her apart. Her skill is obvious to anyone that watches the game, but it’s how she practices and her devotion to getting better means there’s no limit to what she can achieve.
“Her passion, her work ethic, really stand out. Anyone that has worked with Venus, our county age group coaches that have seen her from a young age, [will say], as well as a massive smile, it’s her passion for the game that really sets her apart.”
Whilst Thomas, Cunliffe and Brinsden made their debuts later in the season, the hard work and dedication they put in cannot be understated.
That was reflected in wicket-keeper Thomas’ debut. Taking the gloves in captain Ellie Threlkeld’s absence due to England duty, she performed exceptionally well, completing a stumping off Weerappuli, before playing a composed knock of 55 not out to steer Thunder home.
That performance on debut was no surprise to Davison, who said her composure is one of her standout attributes.
“Skye is incredibly mature for someone of such a young age. She’s so calm and composed that it really wasn’t a surprise that she was able to perform on that stage, even on debut and with the game in the balance.
“It’s her ability to learn that has impressed us most since she came onto our Emerging Player Programme (EPP) a couple of years ago.”
Cunliffe also made her Thunder bow that day, a reward for the hard work she has put in over the years in the Lancs academy. She’s helped guide her team to silverware as a captain, which Davison was quick to praise her for.
“Olivia Cunliffe has really earned the opportunity through the impact she’s had in the County Age Group, academy and Second XI. She’s captained our county age group sides to some silverware in the last couple of years.
“She’s been a standout performer and a large part of the success the U18s have had in winning four national trophies over the last two years.”
Her namesake, Brinsden, impressed on debut against Bucks Cricket in the Vitality T20 County Cup, before bowling well in the Blast on debut against Durham.
Born and raised in Cumbria, she was brought into the Lancs setup due to the links between the Red Rose and the Cumbria Cricket Board. That partnership provides players with an opportunity to join the EPP whilst also playing for their Tier 3 county. The same links exist with the Cheshire Cricket Board. You can read more about the partnership here.
“Olivia Brinsden always sets the standard in terms of effort and attitude and has been a fantastic leader in the academy. Her athleticism in the field and her ability to affect the game with her seam bowling and batting make her such an exciting prospect.
“She is a great example of the relationship we’ve got with Cumbria. Our job is to develop that system [with Cumbria and Cheshire] across the Northwest of England, it’s something we’re really proud to be enhancing year by year.”
The talent in the Red Rose academy is something for the club to be proud of. The recent success in the Women's T20 Development Competition, a trophy which Lancs lifted after winning Finals Day, is certainly something Davison took pride in.
“It’s a really good indication of the strength of the pathway and the work that’s being done in there. So really proud of those girls and their achievement. It’s a byproduct of all the fantastic work that’s being put in through the pathway.”
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