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Rising Star: Eve O’Neill Selected for England U19 Squad
Rising Star: Eve O’Neill Selected for England U19 Squad
The Southern Vipers Academy Spin Bowler Prepares for the ICC Women’s U19 World Cup After Rapid Advancement Through Hampshire’s Cricket Pathways
Southern Vipers’ academy player Eve O’Neill has been selected for the England U19 squad going to the ICC Women’s U19 World Cup, aged just 16, following her rapid rise through the ranks in Hampshire.
The tournament takes place across January and February next year in Malaysia. O’Neill is joined by three Vipers teammates, Abi Norgrove (Oxfordshire), Poppy Tulloch (Berkshire) and Daisy Gibb (Sussex) in the squad. She joined the Southern Vipers academy setup in 2022 while continuing to play for her local team, Calmore CC.
The spin bowler began playing cricket at Abbotswood School aged seven, before quickly advancing through various pathways in the county. She represented Calmore CC, the Western Rattlers, followed by county selection at both U11 and U13. Since joining the Vipers, she made her 1st XI debut for Calmore in 2023, culminating in her World Cup call-up.
Along with developing her playing skills, her time with the Southern Vipers academy has seen her coaching, tutoring and umpiring abilities put to the test. In February, O’Neill travelled to Rwanda as part of the Hampshire Cricket Board’s ‘Girl’s Young Leaders Programme’.
Through sessions and matches against Rwandan teams, the programme helped participants work on other skills within cricket to provide young players a well-rounded skillset and the opportunity to better understand other areas of the sport.
“I am absolutely delighted to be selected for the England U19 World Cup T20 squad. Being in this position is an honour and is the result of hard work, as well as the tremendous support from my clubs, schools, county, academy, and everyone who has helped me develop since I started playing Kwik Cricket at the age of seven.
“Being part of the county cricket pathway and the Southern Vipers Academy has been a privilege that has really helped me improve my game. The opportunity to score, umpire, and coach young cricketers, too, has been fantastic. It is exciting to see how the women’s game is developing, and I would encourage girls who have never played to give it a try.”
