Oxfordshire Cricket are delighted to announce that sixteen year old left hand batter and left arm finger spin bowler, Arthur Hanson has been awarded a place on Sussex County Cricket Club’s Academy for 2024/2025. Arthur represented the Oxfordshire Boys Under 16, Boys Under 18s and Men’s 2nd XI in the 2024 season, amassing 688 runs at an average of 52.92 and taking 15 wickets at an average of 17.07. The majority of Arthur’s runs were made whilst playing up for the Boys Under 18s, scoring 519 runs at an average of 64.88 which included three centuries and one fifty from ten innings.
Arthur began his journey with Oxfordshire in the Boys Under 12s Age Group, later receiving focused time investment as a selected player on the Boys Emerging Players Programme from 2021 and benefiting from the developmental opportunities of the dual registration system in place between the Oxfordshire Cricket and Sussex County Cricket Club partnership. Arthur will join fellow Oxfordshire player, Julian Laird on the Sussex Cricket Academy with the pair evidencing the success of the Oxfordshire Cricket talent development system in developing high-potential players who can transition into Academy cricket programmes. Sussex Cricket Academy graduate Dylan Driscoll has embarked on a trip to Australia to further accelerate his cricket career having finished school this year. The partnership between Oxfordshire Cricket and Sussex County Cricket Club continues to thrive, with home-grown professional cricketers James Coles, Zach Lion-Cachet and Harrison Ward all signing contract extensions with the First Class County during the summer.
On the news of joining the Sussex Cricket Academy, Arthur Hanson said:
“I was stoked to hear the news from Keith Greenfield that I had been selected for Sussex Academy for the 2024/25 season. The reality of it now is starting to sink in: yes, I couldn’t have asked for more good news as this was the main goal from the previous season, but now I know that the hard work continues: understanding that I still need to improve in all my efforts as a cricketer.
I would like to thank all my coaches in the Oxon Pathway since I moved to Oxfordshire for my u12 season. Since then, the EPP programme has been superb: I have received loads of support to improve in all aspects of the game especially from Matt, Alan, Rupert and recently James. They have all been brilliant, and I look forward immensely to continuing my journey with them over the following year. They’ve not only helped me to perform, but also helped me to become a better person as well.
All of this allowed me to express myself not only playing for Sussex last year and this but also for Oxfordshire U18’s in 2024, which were fantastic opportunities. I was pleased to make an impact with bat and ball which helped the team win games of cricket.
Now, looking ahead to next year, I can’t wait to start work with the Sussex Academy, especially Keith and Phil Hudson. A big thank you to them for giving me this opportunity.”
Keith Greenfield – Director of Pathways and Cricket Partnerships at Sussex Cricket said:
“We welcome Arthur into our Academy intake for the coming year, three hundreds in last summer’s u18 multi day championship for Oxfordshire was an outstanding effort. He now follows in the footsteps of James Coles, Harrison Ward, and Zach Lion-Cachet who have all gone on to get pro contracts with us and he joins Julian Laird who is currently in our Academy. We look forward to working with Arthur to fulfil his potential with both bat and ball.”
Oxfordshire and Sussex Coach and Magdalen College School Cricket Professional, Alan Duncan said:
“Arthur has worked extremely hard since his involvement at an early age in the Oxfordshire Pathway and Sussex/Oxfordshire EPP programme and this showed with his performances over the summer. Arthur is now hopefully on the road to achieve his goal of playing professional cricket and follow in the footsteps of past Oxfordshire cricketers which have been named in this article already with his selection into the Sussex academy this winter. I would like to wish Arthur all the best and congratulations on the next chapter in his cricketing journey”
Matthew Barnes – Performance Director at Oxfordshire Cricket said:
“We are really pleased that Arthur will be making the transition from our Emerging Players Programme into the Sussex Cricket Academy with our first class partners, Sussex County Cricket Club. Arthur has been rewarded with selection on to the Sussex Cricket Academy in recognition of his performances within County Age Group Cricket and his future potential within the game. I am certain that Arthur and his family will be proud of his Academy selection and he now has a wonderful opportunity to accelerate his potential.
Arthur has been within our talent development system since eleven years of age and his inclusion on the Sussex Academy cohort will provide him with further development opportunities to accelerate his progression and the support to aid his aspiration of establishing a career within professional cricket. On behalf of everyone at Oxfordshire Cricket, I take the opportunity to wish him the best of luck with the next step in his development journey.”