Sixteen-year-old Arthur Hanson, a left-handed batsman and left-arm spin bowler, scored 688 runs and took 15 wickets for Oxfordshire Cricket during the 2024 season.

This included 519 runs for the club’s boys’ under-18s, featuring three centuries and one half-century from 10 innings.

He also made appearances for the club’s boys under-16s side and the men’s 2nd XI last season.

Hanson said: “I was stoked to hear the news from Keith Greenfield [director of pathways and cricket partnerships at Sussex Cricket] that I had been selected for Sussex academy for the 2024/25 season.

“The reality of it now is starting to sink in. I couldn’t have asked for more good news as this was the main goal from the previous season, but now I know that the hard work continues.

“I still need to improve in all my efforts as a cricketer.”

Hanson began his journey with Oxfordshire in the under-12 age group and was a selected player on the boys’ emerging players programme from 2021.

He said: “The emerging players programme has been superb – I have received loads of support to improve in all aspects of the game especially from Matt, Alan, Rupert, and recently James.

“They have all been brilliant, and I look forward immensely to continuing my journey with them over the following year.”

Greenfield said: “We welcome Arthur into our academy intake for the coming year – three hundreds in last summer’s under-18 multi-day championship for Oxfordshire was an outstanding effort.

“He now follows in the footsteps of James Coles, Harrison Ward, and Zach Lion-Cachet who have all gone on to get pro contracts with us [having joined from Oxfordshire Cricket] and he joins Julian Laird who is currently in our academy.

“We look forward to working with Arthur to fulfil his potential with both bat and ball.”

Alan Duncan, Oxfordshire and Sussex coach and Magdalen College School cricket professional, added: “Arthur has worked extremely hard since his involvement at an early age in the Oxfordshire Pathway and Sussex/Oxfordshire emerging players programme and this showed with his performances over the summer.

“Arthur is now hopefully on the road to achieve his goal of playing professional cricket and follow in the footsteps of past Oxfordshire cricketers with his selection into the Sussex academy this winter.

“I would like to wish Arthur all the best and congratulations on the next chapter in his cricketing journey.”