INTERVIEW: Stewart Davison reflects on 2026 season for girls pathway players
Lancashire Cricket’s Head of Girls Talent Pathway Stewart Davison says that he is “hugely proud” of what the Red Rose pathway and academy players achieved in the 2026 season.
It has been a season to remember for the Lancs academy, with four players making their first-team debuts and plenty of representatives in ECB-led festivals across the summer.
Davison, who leads the academy in his role as the Head of Girls Talent Pathway, spoke with pride about the achievements from academy players in the 2026 campaign.
“Yeah, [I am] hugely proud. It’s been a great year across the pathway, individually and collectively, for the girls.
"We saw four debuts in Olivia Brinsden, Olivia Cunliffe, Skye Thomas and Venus Weerappuli, which were fantastic moments for everyone involved, and every one of those players really earned that opportunity.
“From our perspective, we’re really proud of how recent academy graduates have impacted games in the first team. It’s one thing we can judge our environment on. Not just the [first team] appearance, but actually, how players are able to perform once they get there.”
That impact in the first team is not the only thing to be proud of. Over the summer, there were nine Red Rose representatives in two ECB-led academy festivals, School Games and Super 4s.
They allow the players to test themselves against some of the best players from across the country, in a similarly elite environment to the one they experience at Emirates Old Trafford Cricket Ground.
Discussing the opportunity to participate in the festivals, Davison spoke about how important they are to players’ development.
“We had nine players represent us across Super 4s and School Games, and that’s more than ever before. For the first time, it wasn’t just academy players playing in that. We had Hannah Cook, Scarlett Anderson and Deepa Chukkapalli from our Emerging Players Programme (EPP). They all acquitted themselves brilliantly, and they’re all youngsters within our pathway.
“Ultimately, it’s just an indication of how positive they’ve been [playing] through the season and how much they’ve earned the opportunity. Those selections are based on outstanding performances.
It’s not just about their potential, which is extremely high, but ultimately their performances within academy cricket, EPP cricket and county age group cricket, which has been brilliant.”
Perhaps the pinnacle of representative age-group cricket is playing for England under-19s.
Two of Lancashire’s most talented youngsters, Thomas and Weerappuli, have been called up for the winter tours, which include the T20 World Cup in early 2027.
Davison could not have been prouder of the achievement of the pair, who featured in both 50 over and 20 over cricket for Lancs last season.
“It’s a fantastic accolade, and something that they will remember forever. Ultimately, it’s another experience in their journey; it won’t define them, but it’s a huge honour, and something we’re really proud of them for achieving. It’s thoroughly deserved.
“Everyone that’s worked with them from a young age, and in the academy programme, would have anticipated that that’s somewhere they could get to. So, to do it at such a young age is testament to their character as much as their skill, and their ability to learn, for both of them. It bodes really well for the future.”
The pathway and academy are ultimately designed to help bring through the best homegrown talent to the Lancashire first team.
With four players graduating to make their professional debuts this summer, that is surely something that has been achieved, a sentiment that Davison agrees with.
“It’s something that we’re hugely proud of. It won’t be replicated every year, but it’s a culmination of a huge amount of hard work from them [the players] and everyone involved in the pathway.
“I think probably one of the big parts, and the real success stories within the pathway, is the growth of the Second XI programme. It’s been led brilliantly by Mattie McKeirnan, and that’s a really important part of helping transition academy players to being ready for the first team. He’s done that superbly well, and the girls thrived in that environment.”
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