2026 Academy intake announced

There is a familiar and very exciting look to the Academy intake of twelve, announced by Derbyshire today 

Wicket keeper bat Joe Hall returns after an excellent 2025, as do seam bowlers Jake Green and Matt Stewart. There is quite a buzz about these two young seamers and they appear to have great potential. There is a place for gifted ex-Denstone College batter Rohan Vallabhaneni, while opener Sam Cliffe retains his place, along with all rounder Zak Kelly and tall seamer Ayman Karim, both learning their trade at Clifton CC under Daryn Smit.

Batters Oscar Edwards and Theo Brown, who enjoyed excellent summers with the under 15s and played at the Bunbury Festival, move up to a senior level for the first time, as does young bowler Lucas Green, who played alongside them. Lucas is the younger brother of Jake, so there is a lot of talent in that family!

Bowler Manav Bapodra moves across from Leicestershire, while all rounder Niall McHale is another from the excellent conveyor belt at Denstone College, while playing his club cricket for Milford Hall CC in Staffordshire

It is elite company and there is sadly no place for Hassnain Akhtar, who moved to Chesterfield CC this winter. He will play there alongside Matt Stewart, so both have an opportunity to shine at a higher league level.

Even more disappointing, for those who followed the fortunes of the under 18s last year, is the absence of Rubaiyat Abrar. He had a stellar summer in which he scored 816 runs at an average of 32, including eight scores of 50 or more, while his left arm spin also claimed 47 wickets at an average of 17, with best figures of 4-18.

His displays saw him take home the Under 18s Batter of the Year, Bowler of the Year, Players’ Player of the Year and Coaches’ Player of the Year awards at the Awards Night in November. 

Yet ECB directives say that Abrar needs to have a British passport. He lives here permanently and will be qualified in two years time, but cannot take his place on an Academy until then. It seems a dreadful shame that a clearly talented young man will miss out on two years of important coaching at a key stage of his development.

It is a similar situation to that faced by Adnan Miakhel, who starred in Freddie Flintoff's Field of Dreams. He was helped to secure asylum in the UK and is now on the Lancashire staff, the programme's publicity doing his cause no harm.

I hope that common sense might at some point prevail and Abrar is able to continue his cricketing education with Derbyshire. There is no doubting his potential.

That is a good collection of young players, with a strong likelihood that some of them will eventually find a place on the county staff. 

I look forward to watching their progress during 2026 and wish them all the very best.