September 2020
Oxfordshire Cricket is delighted to announce that sixteen year old James Coles has been named in the Sussex line up for their match against Surrey in their Bob Willis Trophy match starting today Sunday 6th of September at the Oval.
Coles who not long ago scored a hundred on his county men’s debut against Buckinghamshire becomes the first professional player to play for Sussex as part of the Oxfordshire and Sussex partnership that was initially formed in 2013.
Coles, who attends Magdalen College School in Oxford, started his cricketing journey for Oxfordshire at the age of eight when he played for the South Oxfordshire District U11s after showing his potential and being nominated by his club Aston Rowant CC. As an eight year old Coles was selected in the U11 Best of Districts squad that toured Exeter in 2012. In July 2013, as a nine year old playing for the U10s against the U11s Best of District he scored 101 not out off 62 balls at Didcot Power Station. In June 2014, he scored his first county age group century hitting 132 off 119 balls against Buckinghamshire at Thame. His performances have been consistently above his peers from an early age.
A couple years later, while he was in the U12s he was invited onto the Sussex Emerging Players Programme, which he has been on for five years since 2015/16. Fast forward to 2018, Coles was selected a year early as a fourteen year old to represent South & West U15s at the Bunbury Festival where he went on to be highest wicket taker at the festival. Not long after, Coles led Oxfordshire’s U15s to victory over Scotland in the Royal London Division B competition.
A year later in 2019, Coles was again selected to attend and captain South & West U15s at the Bunbury Festival at Felstead School in Essex, where he was named Player of the Tournament as a result of being the leading run scorer at the festival with a total of 199 runs. A few months later, he was informed by Sussex Cricket Academy Director, Richard Halsall that he had been awarded a place in Sussex County Cricket Club’s Academy for 2019/2020 alongside Harry Startin. In November 2019, Coles was named Junior Sportsman of the year at the Oxfordshire Sports Awards.
Supporting Coles in his cricketing journey over the years has been Oxfordshire and Sussex Academy Head Coach and Magdalen College School Cricket Professional Alan Duncan.
Alan Duncan – Oxfordshire and Sussex Academy Head Coach and Magdalen College School Cricket Professional said:
“Since seeing James play from the age of 10, he demonstrated his game awareness and understanding of how to manipulate the field from an early age. I remember first seeing him play for Oxfordshire in a match at Abingdon Vale where he scored 140, where he manipulated the field, and everytime the opposition moved a fielder, he would pick that gap. Over the years he has consistently shown his ability to score big runs and dominate through the youth age groups he’s played with a perfect example being his performances at last years Bunbury festival.
I would say that James is a player that thrives on challenges that are put in front of him. He works hard to come up with a plan and method to face whatever he is coming up against when attempting to construct an innings. He has an ability to adapt and work things out quickly, an example of this being two weeks ago in his county men’s debut where he played a mature innings on his way to his century. As a player he always wants to be challenged and put out his comfort zone, where he wants to make sure that he is performing to a high level every time, no matter who it is against.
From a young age James has always found ways to have a balance, of work, rest and play. This is especially evident with him managing his academics, and going to a academically challenging school where he balances his school work with sport. He does well in managing school expectations with what is expected of him. He seems to excel at anything that he puts his mind to, the perfect example of this being last year when participating at the Bunbury festival in cricket but also the Futures Cup with his hockey.
He is a very laid back and humble sixteen year old, who is probably mentally far past his years in maturity. He always takes the time to go support and speak to the younger players, wanting to support them in their journey, as well as his. He enjoys other people’s success, in seeing them reach their goals whatever team that he is involved in. An example of this is not long ago at a match at Bicester and North Oxford where he was asking about the U12s on the other pitch, and how they were getting. It has been great to work with him over the years, I wish James all the best for the match, and look forward to seeing the match .”
Matt Barnes – Oxfordshire Cricket Performance Cricket Manager said:
James’s selection is the realisation of a young player’s dreams and I am delighted that he has earned the opportunity to fulfil them with Sussex. The Oval is steeped in history and a great place for his journey within the professional game to begin.
Only a small number of players progress through a pathway and into professional cricket, which makes it more impressive that James will make his debut at the age of just 16. Both he and his family should be immensely proud, which is testament to his hard work and their ongoing encouragement, sacrifice and support.
James will become the first and youngest player from Oxfordshire to represent Sussex in professional cricket. Having been part of our pathway since an Under 8, it is a special moment for everyone who has witnessed or played part in his development over the years, none more so than Alan Duncan.
James’ selection for Sussex Cricket highlights the continued success of the Oxfordshire and Sussex partnership and gives further evidence to our track record in identifying, developing and producing players who have the potential to progress into First Class County Academies or beyond into professional cricket.
I speak on behalf of everyone at Oxfordshire Cricket in wishing James the very best of luck.
Sussex Head coach, Jason Gillespie said:
“We’re very excited to bring young James Coles into the squad for the first time. He’s a 16-year-old right-handed batsman on our Pathway who also bowls left-arm spin. “He’s an exciting young cricketer and it will be a great opportunity for him to be around the squad.
To watch the match live please follow the link https://sussexcricket.co.uk/match-centre?customer-id=B20CB641-6F61-4AEA-AD19-8CF645FBB399&match-id=b59ce301-b0e2-4df0-94ec-769004777da1