ADAM GILCHRIST SCHOLARSHIP WINNER TO PLAY CRICKET FOR LANCASHIRE WOMEN

Lancashire Cricket Board will welcome Meg Phillips who has been rewarded with the Adam Gilchrist Scholarship for 2015. Meg is 19 and plays for Cripps Tasmanian Roar. She debuted at just 16 years old and is on the national radar in Australia after attending camps during the winter last year.

Meg will arrive early/mid April to start the season in club cricket at Tottington St Johns Women alongside Kate Cross and Jasmine Titmuss. She will hopefully join the Lancashire Women for a media day with their male counterparts of Lancashire County Cricket Club (LCCC) in early April.

Meg is an all-rounder who will be looking to bat in the top 6 and utilise her medium pace bowling in those middle overs. She has more experience of playing white ball cricket than many of the Lancashire girls as they embark on their first year playing white ball cricket at county level. We hope her experience here will help guide the Lancashire women through their Division 1 challenge.

The Adam Gilchrist Scholarship is a prestigious award supported by Lord’s Taverners Australia designed to support male or female players through a season in England to enhance their game and person. The players are under 20 years old and have played State cricket. They are also qualified coaches to a minimum of level 1.

Jen Laycock, LCB Women and Girls Cricket Development Officer said ‘This is a great opportunity for Meg. Division 1 county cricket will be a testing environment to develop skills with and against International players. We at LCB hope we can offer Meg a well-rounded experience in Lancashire. She will be involved with coaching at all levels including schools and county age group squads. Meg will have the opportunity to train at Emirates Old Trafford Indoor Centre, play in the senior and senior development fixtures and train with the senior squad.

Jasmine Titmuss the Lancashire Women’s captain ‘It is fantastic for our team to gain an overseas Australian state player for the 2015 season seeing us promoted into the top flight of Women’s domestic cricket! Having a young experienced player who has the drive and motivation that Meg has can only strengthen and add depth to our squad.ﾠ I believe that the experience that Meg will bring will be invaluable and I can’t wait to captain such a great team this season’.

Steve Titchard, Lancashire Women’s head coach and LCB Performance Manager ‘First division cricket this season presents an exciting challenge for our girls. The addition of Meg to the group can hopefully only strengthen the team and enhance our campaign. Although she is young in years she has already gained valuable experience playing state cricket in Australia. We are trying to promote a competitive environment and although we fully support the development of our own players, I believe that if we can secure our status in division 1 then this competition for places will be a positive experience’.