Steyning cricketer Grant named in Sussex Academy

He has been added to the programme after the initial intake was announced last month. Grant, a 17-year-old left-arm seam bowler and top-order batsman scored 237 runs in 11 Sussex League Division 3 West matches last season for Steyning and took seven wickets.

Grant attends Brighton College and it was was Sussex’s connections at the college which brought him to the attention of Cricket Performance manager Keith Greenfield. Former Sussex women’s player and director of cricket at Brighton College, Alexia Walker and Les Lenham, who has been involved with the county for 60 years, have worked closely with Grant over the past year.

Greenfield said: “Les approached me earlier in the year about Sam and how well he was developing, so we kept an eye on him and invited him to practice with our development squads and academy.

“He performed very well and we had no hesitation in offering Sam a place on the Academy.

“He clearly has the drive to improve his skills and we look forward to helping him achieve his goals and aspirations.”

Grant will join Georgia Adams, Harry Finch, Ollie Graham, Josh Hayward, Elliott Hooper, Fynn Hudson-Prentice, Callum Jackson, Tim Moses, Abidine Sakande, Leo Cammish and Ben Shoare in the set-up.