SMCC indoor training (Development Squad)

What is the Development Squad (Trust League XI)?

This is a squad of older teens and young adults who play matches in the summer against other clubs in the Surrey Junior Championship Trust League. Each side must include seven players under the age of 21, five of whom should be under the age of 18. Matches are Sunday afternoons in the summer.

Goals

• keep older teens wanting to stay involved in playing cricket and enjoying their game

• help all players in the squad to develop to the best of their ability 

• provide in an enjoyable training and playing environment 

• help young players to feel comfortable playing in senior cricket, as whichever level is right for them

Participation in this squad is optional. Players may also opt to play in regular senior league cricket. At SMCC, we have probably the largest senior section in the country, so we are able to ofter senior men's and women's cricket at an exceptionally wide range of standards and most players from around Under 15 and up can enjoyably play in senior games.

Who is eligible?

Development Squad is targeted mainly at U16-U21s. A few younger players who are known to our coaches might be invited to have a taster session / join the squad

Younger players need to be strong to enjoy the experience. Coaches and captain reserve the right to ask players to not attend sessions until they are older if they feel that the player is not ready to participate safely.

The development squad consists mainly of boys but is very much open to girls and a small number of our strongest girls have trained and played with the squad in the previous years.

Indoor training

Pre Xmas 2026

Thursdays 8-9.30pm 24th Sept to 10th Dec

Dates: 24th Sept, 1st Oct, 8th Oct, 15th Oct, 22nd Oct, 29th Oct, 5th Nov (then 2 week break), 26th Nov, 3rd Dec, 10th Dec

Please note no sessions on 12th and 19th Nov due to school closure

Held in the sports hall at Harris Boys Academy East Dulwich, Peckham Rye, London SE22 0AT (free parking on Friern Road, accessed via Barry Road). There is free parking on nearby streets.

Post Xmas 2027

This will also be on Thursday evenings 8pm to 9.30pm at Harris Boys Academy East Dulwich, Peckham Rye, London SE22 0AT (free parking on Friern Road, accessed via Barry Road) but start and end dates are TBC.

Cost is £180 per 10 week block, to be paid though Spond, using the link below. There is some more information on costs in the Spond form.

Coaches 

Training is led by Soyfur Rahman and Neneto Davis. Soyfur is a ECB level 3 coach and is involved throughout our junior section and also coaches in the Kent performance pathway. 

Neneto is a full-time, professional cricket coach and former county second team player. Neneto is a very experienced coach who works in many different organisations including Surrey, London Schools and the ACE Programme.

Additional coaches will support some sessions.