A critical evaluation of the ECB National Academy: a Glamorgan County Cricket perspective

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare the strategic running of ECB National Academy with that of the Glamorgan C.C.C. Academy, to see if their running was similar. Interviews were carried out with four subjects including coaches and players who had knowledge of the Glamorgan Academy system. The interview structure have four areas of interest, which are objectives as a club, development of the game in the county, cricket for all and successful Glamorgan team. The interviews were recorded using a dictaphone which was then used to aid in transcribing the interviews when writing up the results and discussion section. The transcribed interviews were used to aid in the cross-case analysis which allowed for the data to be categorised into common principles or themes. Research findings showed that the running of the academies were very similar. On many occasions there were examples of the ECB National Academy using a strategy to develop cricket that Glamorgan C.C.C. also employed. The ECB have a plan in place called the 'superstars of cricket' which gets England players into school to raise the profile of cricket. Glamorgan also try and raise the profile of cricket in the schools by asking first team players to coach school children. This is an example of Glamorgan using the same strategy as the ECB. Research also found that the running of the Glamorgan Academy could be improved in order to achieve further success on the field. Enhanced organisation regarding performance indicators are required so that the performance of each individual player is monitored, therefore allowing Glamorgan C.C.C to develop players further if they are not performing to the standard required.