Hampshire Academy 2024 ECB Southern Premier League champions.
2024 champions ! That's the Hampshire Academy, who lifted the coveted ECB Southern Premier
League championship with a dramatic winner-take-all final match victory over South Wilts. It
couldn't have been closer for the lads who were runners-up two seasons earlier.
In that critical final match, Finn Gordon, Ethan Martin and Dom Kelly took three wickets each as South Wilts were dismissed for 110, their last pair adding a priceless 26 runs. The Academy slipped to 86-8 before Eddie Jack and Sam Davis swung the match - and the title - in the county's favour.
Charlie Freeston, Hampshire's Head of Player Development, reflects.
"We start every season very excited to see what the players can achieve with all the hard work they’ve done through the winter. However, there are plenty of occasions when we find ourselves battling to get the strongest team out : sometimes even an 11 can be tough!
"The 2024 season was no different; however, this group of players have been getting stronger and
stronger and more competitive in the Southern Premier League year on year. We deliberately pick a
relatively young side and I hope that they can learn quickly from the demands of the league.
"Hampshire are still pretty unique in that we are now the only county to enter an academy team in an ECB local Premier League. We strongly believe it gives us a point of difference and invest lots of time and energy into it. We massively appreciate the support we get from the league and from the clubs within it.
League championship with a dramatic winner-take-all final match victory over South Wilts. It
couldn't have been closer for the lads who were runners-up two seasons earlier.
In that critical final match, Finn Gordon, Ethan Martin and Dom Kelly took three wickets each as South Wilts were dismissed for 110, their last pair adding a priceless 26 runs. The Academy slipped to 86-8 before Eddie Jack and Sam Davis swung the match - and the title - in the county's favour.
Charlie Freeston, Hampshire's Head of Player Development, reflects.
"We start every season very excited to see what the players can achieve with all the hard work they’ve done through the winter. However, there are plenty of occasions when we find ourselves battling to get the strongest team out : sometimes even an 11 can be tough!
"The 2024 season was no different; however, this group of players have been getting stronger and
stronger and more competitive in the Southern Premier League year on year. We deliberately pick a
relatively young side and I hope that they can learn quickly from the demands of the league.
"Hampshire are still pretty unique in that we are now the only county to enter an academy team in an ECB local Premier League. We strongly believe it gives us a point of difference and invest lots of time and energy into it. We massively appreciate the support we get from the league and from the clubs within it.
Zac Basey 34 Premier League wickets in 11 outings [Roy Honeybone]
"There were some outstanding performances in 2024 with spinner Zack Basey taking 34 league wickets
and only playing 11 games. Another Dorset teen Finn Gordon topped the batting chart as under-17 player and rightly carried off the SPL Young Cricketer Award. Sam Ashman and Andrew MacEwen also made over 400 runs.
"But it really was a group effort and everybody stuck at their jobs superbly with a mixture of young players and those more experienced really competing at the very top level. As always, we will see plenty of changes into the squad for 2025 - but with some hugely exciting prospects to be playing in the Premier League for the Hampshire Academy.
"We are very much looking forward to seeing how well we can do in 2025 and, who knows, we may even
lift back to back trophies if all goes to plan!"
and only playing 11 games. Another Dorset teen Finn Gordon topped the batting chart as under-17 player and rightly carried off the SPL Young Cricketer Award. Sam Ashman and Andrew MacEwen also made over 400 runs.
"But it really was a group effort and everybody stuck at their jobs superbly with a mixture of young players and those more experienced really competing at the very top level. As always, we will see plenty of changes into the squad for 2025 - but with some hugely exciting prospects to be playing in the Premier League for the Hampshire Academy.
"We are very much looking forward to seeing how well we can do in 2025 and, who knows, we may even
lift back to back trophies if all goes to plan!"
 Andrew MacEwen [above] and Sam Ashman, right, shone with the bat. |  |
Hampshire Academy begin their ECB Southern Premier Division title defence against Division 1 winners Portsmouth at St Helen's on May 3 2025.
