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“I’m so honoured to be a part of this side” – Olivia settling in well
Left-arm spinner Olivia Barnes is enjoying her new surroundings.
The 18-year-old joined Somerset on a two-year rookie contract this winter and we sat down with her this week to discuss how she’s settling in.
“I’ve just been made aware that I’ve been here for nine weeks now,” she explained. “It certainly doesn’t feel like nine weeks! I’ve settled in so quickly and the girls have been so welcoming. I feel like I’ve been able to fit right into the group and I feel right at home. There’s certainly a good sisterly bond!
“It was good to observe how the team go about things in that first week and it was really good to be able to settle nicely into that. It’s not like I’ve moved just down the road. I’ve moved right across the country and that’s been no bother because I’ve got a really good set of teammates who are there for me.”
A product of the Kent Pathway, Olivia, who was a member of the South East Stars Academy in 2022 and 2023 and was a part of the Sunrisers Academy in 2024, is proud to be a member of Somerset’s first professional squad.
“Honestly, it’s an honour being a part of the first professional Somerset side,” she said. “I’m so honoured to be a part of this side, and we are ready to set the bar at the highest point. We’re looking good as a team and I’m so excited to get started.
“I’ve heard that Somerset get great support. We’ve sold over 750 Women’s Memberships, which is incredible. We’ll strive to get more and more publicity and more followers for the women’s game. It’s great to know that we have so much support.
“We’ve been made aware of what it means to be a Somerset player. We’ve been made aware of the values and what it means to represent the Club. Sophie Luff has represented Somerset for most of her life and it’s so nice to be playing under someone like her and be able to observe how she goes about things. It’s great to be able to talk to her about one of my fields and get her opinion on what she would do. To have someone with so much experience as one of my teammates is great.
“Being a professional isn’t easy. It’s so much more intense and the standards are very high, but you get so much reward from it. I’ve seen so much improvement in me as a player and as a person in these nine weeks.”
What’s the atmosphere in the dressing room like at the moment?
“The dressing room is unbelievable. I absolutely love it because there’s just great vibes in there. I’m actually next to Heather Knight in the dressing room and it was great to see her here recently. Getting to know her and seeing how she goes about things was so great. To see how the England Captain goes about her training and her gym, and everything was mesmerising. On the other side of me is Amanda-Jade Wellington and I can’t wait to learn from her as well.
“We’ve got our pre-season tour coming up and I just can’t wait to get on out on grass and get some games under my belt. We all want to get going because we’re looking good.
“As a spinner, I’m really excited to get out on grass. Indoor nets can be a bit batter-friendly which can whittle down your ego a little bit, but it will be different when we get out on grass and the bowlers get a feel for the pitch. I’ll also get to wear my new spikes, and I can’t wait to do that!”
Has Olivia spent much time with the Club’s male players this winter?
“I’ve had a few conversations with Leachy and it’s such an honour to have someone like that at the same team as me. He’s always asking me about my game, how my training is going and what I’m working on. He’s always offering to help me figure things out I’ll definitely be having further conversations with him about my game.”
What will she be focusing on this year?
“I’m focusing on being disciplined and I will be looking to take any opportunity that I can. If I don’t get selected, I’ll support whoever is selected. If I do get selected, then I just need to back myself and enjoy every moment. As a team we need to be the best version of ourselves that we can be. We need to go out there, enjoy it, do what we do best and perform. If we do that, then we will 100% win games.”
How would she describe herself as a player?
“I’m pretty loud, so people will definitely hear me. I’m very passionate about cricket and I’m very competitive even in training. I do not like losing!”
