A YOUNG cricketer has a bright future in the sport after winning a place on the Emerging Players Programme at Headingley.

Sophie Richardson, 16, only started playing cricket three-years-ago years ago when she joined her older brother Mark at coaching sessions at North Stainley Cricket Club.

Now she has ambitions to make it all the way to the national team and is on her way after being chosen for the Emerging Player Programme that will see her receive some of the best coaching and tuition in the sport.

She said: “I aspire to play for the Yorkshire 1st Team in the future, and ultimately get onto the England Academy.

“I recognise a lot of hard work and effort will be required but with continuous dedication I hope to achieve this.”

In 2015 Sophie was selected for the Yorkshire county under 15 squad and in her first Yorkshire season the team won the County Championship, clinching victory over Hampshire in the final at Uppingham in Leicestershire.

The team were then invited to a civic reception in Leeds, where all the County winners were applauded for their achievements and met stars of the sport including Ryan Sidebottom, Andrew Gale and Tim Bresnan.

North Stainley Head junior coach, John Skinner said Sophie had a ‘natural talent’ for cricket and he is delighted with her progress in the sport.