Created: Jul 26, 2025 08:00 AM<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Brianna Ray gets through her bowling action during a training session with Cup Match champions Somerset at Somerset Cricket Club (Photograph by Loren Morrissey)<\/p>\n
History will be made at Somerset Cricket Club when Brianna Ray makes her appearance in the Cup Match champions\u2019 final trial today.<\/p>\n
The Flatts Victoria Recreation Club seamer has been named in the Vice-President\u2019s XI and, according to club legend and former captain Randy Horton, is the first woman to do so.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is definitely a first and if she can play as well or better than other players that are playing, then make space for her,\u201d he told The Royal Gazette.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf a person is good enough, whatever their gender, they should be able to make the team.\u201d<\/p>\n
Professional hopeful Ray can hardly wait to showcase her talents.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Brianna Ray fielding during a training session with Cup Match holders Somerset (Photograph by Loren Morrissey)<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s quite exciting getting into that Vice-President’s XI and getting an opportunity to get into the trials,\u201d she said. \u201cI am excited and it\u2019s going to be a good day, no matter what happens.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have the opportunity to go out there and show everybody what I can do and learn from it as well for whatever is to come for the rest of the summer and the rest of my career. Every time I am out there, it\u2019s a learning opportunity and an opportunity to push myself as far as I can.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have a lot of passion for the game and for Somerset, and it would mean a whole lot to play Cup Match.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not something I thought I\u2019d be so close to\u00a0this year, as there\u2019s a lot more I can work on for me to feel fully ready. But I guess you\u2019re never fully prepared for something as big as Cup Match.\u201d<\/p>\n
The 21-year-old is grateful for the support she has received from coach Janeiro Tucker in training in the lead-up to the final trial.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Brianna Ray batting in training with Cup Match champions Somerset (Photograph by Loren Morrissey)<\/p>\n
\u201cI am very happy that Janeiro has been so welcoming to me, pushing me and letting me get a lot of opportunities as well,\u201d she said. \u201cHe\u2019s let me to come to training and also allowed me to bowl a lot and get a few hits as well, which is helping me develop.<\/p>\n
\u201cTraining has been tough but a good challenge and I\u2019ve definitely improved in some areas \u2014 getting better and better.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe coach is there always pushing me and that’s where I thrive the most \u2014 when I’m working hard and playing hard with that challenge between bat and ball, which is why I love the game. I always love to be in the contest and try to win that battle.\u201d<\/p>\n
It comes as no surprise Ray, who has also been named for Colts Cup Match tomorrow at Wellington Oval, has pinned her flag to Somerset\u2019s mast as a daughter of the soil.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have always between a Somerset girl and grew up around Somerset Cricket Club, so it was always going to be west and never blue and blue,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
The Vice-President\u2019s XI will be led by star all-rounder Kamau Leverock and also includes Nacori Smith, club captain Dominic Sabir, Zeri Tomlinson, Dalin Richardson, Dion Stovell, Malachi Jones, Jaiden Manders, Jade Morrissey, Jerez Eve, Sharye Tavares and Callum McIntosh.<\/p>\n
The President\u2019s XI consists of captain Terryn Fray, who led Somerset to a 226-run win over St George\u2019s in last year\u2019s Cup Match at Somerset, Amari Ebbin, Tre Manders, Steven Bremar Jr, Kwasi James, Jermal Proctor, Derrick Brangman, Antonio Darrell, Alex Dore, Deunte Darrell, Macquille Walker, PJ Gibbons and Callum McFarlane.<\/p>\n
Jaiden Manders, Dore and Antonio Darrell, who were named as reserves last year, Tomlinson, Smith, Richardson, Morrissey, Eve, McIntosh, Gibbons, McFarlane and Ray are all attempting to break into Somerset\u2019s team this year, while Deunte Darrell is seeking a recall.<\/p>\n
All of Somerset\u2019s team from last year will be involved in the final trial with the exception of vice-captain Alje Richardson, who has been ruled out with a hamstring injury.<\/p>\n
The final trial at Somerset Cricket Club starts at 10am.<\/p>\n
Final trial squads<\/p>\n
President\u2019s XI<\/p>\n
Terryn Fray (captain)<\/p>\n
Amari Ebbin<\/p>\n
Tre Manders<\/p>\n
Steven Bremar Jr<\/p>\n
Kwasi James<\/p>\n
Jermal Proctor<\/p>\n
Derrick Brangman<\/p>\n
Antonio Darrell<\/p>\n
Alex Dore<\/p>\n
Deunte Darrell<\/p>\n
Macquille Walker<\/p>\n
PJ Gibbons<\/p>\n
Callum McFarlane<\/p>\n
Vice-President\u2019s XI<\/p>\n
Kamau Leverock (captain)<\/p>\n
Nacori Smith<\/p>\n
Dominic Sabir<\/p>\n
Zeri Tomlinson<\/p>\n
Dalin Richardson<\/p>\n
Dion Stovell<\/p>\n
Malachi Jones<\/p>\n
Jaden Manders<\/p>\n
Brianna Ray<\/p>\n
Jade Morrissey<\/p>\n
Jerez Eve<\/p>\n
Sharye Tavares<\/p>\n
Calum McIntosh<\/p>\n
Umpires<\/p>\n
Oscar Andrade<\/p>\n
John Pitcher<\/p>\n
Final trial squads<\/p>\n
President\u2019s XI<\/p>\n
Terryn Fray (captain)<\/p>\n
Amari Ebbin<\/p>\n
Tre Manders<\/p>\n
Steven Bremar Jr<\/p>\n
Kwasi James<\/p>\n
Jermal Proctor<\/p>\n
Derrick Brangman<\/p>\n
Antonio Darrell<\/p>\n
Alex Dore<\/p>\n
Deunte Darrell<\/p>\n
Macquille Walker<\/p>\n
PJ Gibbons<\/p>\n
Callum McFarlane<\/p>\n
Vice-President\u2019s XI<\/p>\n
Kamau Leverock (captain)<\/p>\n
Nacori Smith<\/p>\n
Dominic Sabir<\/p>\n
Zeri Tomlinson<\/p>\n
Dalin Richardson<\/p>\n
Dion Stovell<\/p>\n
Malachi Jones<\/p>\n
Jaden Manders<\/p>\n
Brianna Ray<\/p>\n
Jade Morrissey<\/p>\n
Jerez Eve<\/p>\n
Sharye Tavares<\/p>\n
Calum McIntosh<\/p>\n
Umpires<\/p>\n
Oscar Andrade<\/p>\n
John Pitcher<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Created: Jul 26, 2025 08:00 AM Brianna Ray gets through her bowling action during a training session with…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":25665,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[1721,16154,16153,101,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-25664","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-cricket","tag-cricket","tag-cup-match","tag-somerset-cc","tag-sports","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25664","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25664"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25664\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/25665"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25664"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25664"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25664"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}