Sunrisers Academy bowler Esmae MacGregor has been awarded her first Senior contract, having signed for the remainder of the 2023 summer.
MacGregor, 18, who plays her county cricket for Essex, becomes the seventh player to progress from the Academy into the current Senior squad.
The right-handed pace bowler has starred for the Academy over the past 18 months, and was invited to numerous winter training sessions with the First Team squad this winter.
MacGregor will turn 19 in July, and has a big future ahead of her according to Sunrisers Regional Talent Manager, Luke Pomfret:
“I’m delighted for Esmae to receive her first professional contract, as it’s a great reward for the dedication that she, and her family, have put into her cricket. She’s an exciting pace bowler who has great control over the ball, and can provide some entertainment with the bat down the order.
Her leadership has been brilliant for our Academy group, and taking on the captaincy responsibilities this year has not phased her. The progress that she has made has been brilliant, and for her to have the opportunity to make an impact for the First Team this summer is really special.”
Head Coach Andy Tennant is impressed with the skill she has shown in the time he has been at the club:
“Since I came in I’ve been impressed with the skill on show throughout the setup, and this is the latest in a long line of cricketing talent that has progressed through the programme. We invited Esmae to a number of training sessions over the winter, partly to provide alternative bowling options to our batters in the nets, but also to have a look at how she can transfer her skills to the next level, and she looked very comfortable making that step up.
I’m really excited to see how far she can go. She’s come into the group as an extra seamer, to ease the load on Kelly Castle, Eva Gray and Kate Coppack, but she’s definitely more than capable to challenge for a spot in the starting eleven.”
Esmae will be challenging to make her debut tomorrow evening when we travel to Hove to face the Southern Vipers in the final game of this year’s Charlotte Edwards Cup, before the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy returns in July. Click here for ticket information for our upcoming games.