Cricket

Mike has been running the cricket at Bradfield since 2009 and oversees the College’s cricket programme for the boys and girls. During the summer term he takes the U14 A team. His aim is to instil a passion for the game in cricketers of all abilities and help them to learn how to make intelligent decisions in challenging situations.

Rob’s passion for the game led him to excel at junior levels and represent England through his junior years and at U19 level. He gained a scholarship to Sutton Valence for 6th form and later graduated from Durham University, combining academic study with professional cricket.

Rob continued to play at a professional level for 12 years. As a professional cricketer, he played for Kent County Cricket Club and Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club, showcasing his skills as a slow left-arm orthodox spinner and combative batter.

After retiring from professional play, Rob pursued a career in coaching, keen to explore all environments associated with development and high performance. He is a Level 4 coach, the highest level of coaching qualification, which underscores his expertise and dedication to the sport.

Rob Ferley and Dr. James Wallis crossed paths through their shared passion for cricket and commitment to youth development. Rob, with his extensive experience as a professional cricketer and coach, found a kindred spirit in Dr. Wallis, whose expertise in junior youth coaching and values-based, holistic approach resonated deeply with him. Dr. Wallis, known for his pioneering work in creating environments where young athletes can thrive, introduced Rob to innovative coaching methodologies. His holistic approach integrates physical, mental, and emotional development, ensuring that young cricketers are well-rounded and resilient.

Together, they recognised the importance of fostering a positive and nurturing environment to help young cricketers reach their full potential. Their collaboration led to the development of the SPARK System—an evidence-based visual reference tool designed to enhance cricketers’ development. The SPARK System provides clear, actionable feedback, making it easier for players to understand and improve their skills. Alongside this, they created the SPARK Curriculum, which equips coaches with the knowledge and techniques to better train their athletes. This curriculum focuses on holistic development, integrating physical, mental, and emotional aspects of coaching to create well-rounded and resilient cricketers.

Through their partnership, Rob and Dr. Wallis have not only advanced coaching practices but also ensured that every child, regardless of background, has the opportunity to flourish in cricket. Their work stands as a testament to the power of collaboration and the belief that with the right guidance, every young athlete can flourish.

Tim is an ECB Level 4 coach. He specialises in batting, psychology, and communication.

He has worked with Berkshire’s Men’s First X1 for 20 years. That included a very successful 10-year spell as Head Coach, during which time the team won multiple trophies across different formats. He also led the county Emerging Player Programme for several years.

For 15 years he was in charge of the Advanced Coaching Development Programme for the ECB. He is now a mentor and delivers modules on the Level 4 programme.

He is Head of Coach Development at Zimbabwe Cricket and was an assistant coach as they prepared for the recent World Cup qualifiers.

Tim’s coaching takes him from Middlesex, where he is a consultant for the red ball first team, to Antigua, where he’s spent time developing the next generation of West Indies stars, and from the University of Worcester, where he guest lectures to Sports Science graduates, to Greece, where his national team won the ICC European Trophy!

His passion for coaching started back in the 1990s. Amongst his playing highlights on his CV is Captain of Cricket at Bradfield in 1994.

He has a Sports Science degree, a Masters in Broadcasting and Communication, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Personal and Professional Development.

Adam Ball is a former professional cricketer playing for eight years with Kent County Cricket Club as an all-rounder, bowling left arm seam and batting in the middle-order. During his time, he was fortunate to represent England U19 and captain the team at the 2012 World Cup in Australia. His prominent achievement during his playing career was reaching the T20 Quarter Finals with Kent County Cricket Club where the team narrowly missed out to Leicestershire in the last over.
Since finishing life as a professional cricketer, Adam has moved in to coaching sustained by his passion for the game and keen ambition to ensure the next generation has the capability to excel as players.

With extensive experience throughout his career in batting, bowling, fielding and captaining, he has thorough knowledge of the game, which allows him to coach all aspects of the game. His skills and familiarity of the game allows him to adapt his coaching style to the environment and audience to ensure maximum understanding and development.

His primary focus during coaching is to emphasise the importance of the basic techniques involved in all aspects of the game. By nailing down these techniques, he believes it ensures the longevity of playing the game of cricket for youngsters.

His passion and enthusiasm for cricket radiates through to a friendly and engaged personality, which is mirrored by those he coaches. His coaching style allows him to create an environment that allows players to thrive as individuals by allowing mistakes to be acceptable and create opportunities for learning. Overall, his enjoyment and love for both cricket and coaching is evident in every session he teaches.

Mark is a Level 3 ECB qualified coach who has been coaching for almost 20 years and has worked in a diverse range of environments from school to international level cricket. He specialises in seam bowling at the most advanced levels but is proficient in all of the cricket disciplines.

Mark has coached in the Berkshire and Middlesex County Age Group pathways for 17 years and has been the head coach of each age group from U10 to U18. He is currently coaching the Middlesex U14 age group. In addition to this he has worked with the Middlesex Academy and 2nd XI and also the Berkshire 1st XI.

For the past five years Mark has managed and coached the South and West of England Under 15 squad, one of the 4 regions of England that compete in the annual Bunbury Festival.
Over the years Mark has worked directly with over 30 male and female cricketers who are currently playing the game professionally.

For 8 years Mark was Berkshire Cricket’s Director of Cricket, a period that established Berkshire as the most successful National County in the history of the game. This success straddled all levels of both men’s and women’s performance cricket in the county.

In addition to his coaching work, Mark also works as a Coach Educator and Mentor for the England and Wales Cricket Board and, on a one-to-one basis, has helped dozens of Professional and International players make the transition from playing to professional coaching.

Wilson has been one of the most recognisable and respected coaches in Berkshire and Buckinghamshire over the past twenty years. He has worked in both the men’s and women’s pathways from junior levels through to club senior 1st XIs. Wilson has coached Berkshire boys at U17 level and also the Berkshire Women’s 1st XI.

Wilson specialises in batting, but is also highly skilled in each of the other coaching disciplines of seam bowling, seam bowling, fielding and wicket keeping.

An ECB qualified Level 2 coach, Wilson has been a Head Coach at three Premier League men’s clubs and has also led the junior sections at each of these clubs.

Wilson is also very experienced in the school environment and has coached at Bradfield College for a number of years, coaching the school 1st XI in 2022.

Being a recent Old Bradfieldian, Tom understands the way the cricket works at the College and is keen to ensure it continues to progress. Tom always aims to create an enjoyable learning environment through his passion and drive for seeing others succeed. Creating a player-centric culture allows Tom and the people he coaches to build a fantastic rapport whilst using fun and engaging drills to ensure progression. As he is an all-rounder himself, Tom enjoys coaching all aspects of the game.

Tom is an ECB Level 2 Coach. He began his coaching journey shortly after leaving school, joining Abingdon Prep School for three years and then Wrekin College as Assistant Head of Cricket. Following this, Tom spent seven months in New Zealand playing the equivalent of Minor County cricket for South Canterbury and club cricket for Pleasant Point. During this time, he coached within the Pleasant Point junior set up and gained the experiences of playing and coaching cricket in a different continent.

He has played cricket for as long as he can remember, originally being a member of Falkland Cricket Club and working his way up the teams before moving to Oxford Downs CC. During his first year, Oxford Downs were promoted to the Home Counties Premier League in 2023. Tom took 29 wickets at an average of 13 in the Summer of 2024 in the top division. As well as this, he currently manages the Bradfield Waifs Cricketer Cup Side and has been heavily involved in their recent success. Tom has won the Cricketer Cup (Independent Schools Old Boys Competition) twice in 2022 and 2024, also taking the Man of the Match award in both finals at Arundel Castle including 6-37 against Millfield in 2022.

Through these playing and coaching experiences, Tom enjoys being creative and finding different ways to achieve success. As well as this, helping them improve technical skills, fitness, mental strength, and tactical awareness. This diverse playing background enables Tom to offer a well-rounded approach to training, addressing all aspects of the game and always encouraging enjoyment.

Toby is an ex professional cricketer who has played for Middlesex County Cricket Club. He is a quick bowler and more than useful lower middle order batter.

Toby is currently playing for Berkshire County Cricket Club, a club he has represented at every level from Under 10s.

In addition to an impressive playing C.V., Toby has gained a reputation as a leading local coach and is currently the Lead Specialist Bowling Coach for the Berkshire pathway.

Toby is a recent addition to the coaching team at Bradfield and has quickly become a popular and respected member of the Cricket Club.