Bede’s recent alumna Alice Capsey, and current Upper Sixth pupil Freya Kemp, have both been awarded first England Women central contracts for 2022-23 from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). Alice and Freya are two of just 18 players awarded contracts.

The news comes following the ECB announcement that it would be funding 80 professional domestic women’s cricketers from February next year, with the awarding of the 18 central contracts bringing the total number of professional female cricketers in England and Wales up to 98. This is the first time that the England Women central contracts have run from 1 November, to align with the professional contracts in the women’s regional game.

Both Alice and Freya have had an incredible year - making their international debuts this summer and putting on some outstanding performances for England in the Commonwealth Games, T20 Internationals and The Hundred.

Alice completed her two-year studies at Bede’s in 2021, arriving in 2020 for her Sixth Form years. She has had an incredible couple of years, having completed a tour with the England Women’s A Squad, accompanying the Women’s Ashes Squad in Australia. In 2021, Alice was honoured as the first recipient of the PCA Women’s Young Player of the Year. Alice is currently competing in the Big Bash Australia for the Melbourne Stars.

Freya Kemp has recently become the second successive teenager to win the Emerging Cricketer award, the second successive teenager to win the award after Alice Capsey. Freya is currently going through her final year at Bede’s and is balancing her Sixth Form studies alongside playing cricket.

Alan Wells, Director of Cricket at Bede’s, whose 21-year cricket career included captaining for Sussex and an England Lions tour to India, comments on Alice and Freya’s success, "We are extremely proud as a school of both Freya and Alice for receiving England central contracts. They have worked incredibly hard to achieve this and I have little doubt they have huge international careers ahead of them. To have been awarded contracts and such young ages is testament to their determination, ability and work ethic. We will be following them with a keen eye and wish them all the very best on their cricket journey."