Meet the Academy: Ella Gill
Born: Northampton. March 11th 2009.
Right-handed batter and right-arm leg spin bowler.
Ella was born in Northamptonshire and started her journey playing soft ball cricket at Wellingborough CC before transitioning to hard ball cricket in a boys team.
When she was nine, her family moved to Devon and Ella joined Paignton Cricket Club.
“That’s where I really got into cricket and started my love for the game,” she explained when we caught up with her recently. “I played for the Under 13 girls and got put forward for development trials for the County which got me into the Devon set up. From there I started to play in the Under 15 County side for the next couple of years.”
Ella announced her arrival on the local cricketing scene when she became only the second female player in Devon Cricket League history to take a hat trick in men’s cricket.
“I was playing for Paignton Second XI in the Devon League against Plymouth Seconds and I got a hat trick which was pretty cool.
“That was in 2024 when I was bowling pace but since then I’ve started to bowl leg spin, which is big change for me. I’m enjoying bowling leg spin and it’s about having the ability to try something new with no fear of failure.
“I got called up to join the Emerging Player Programme and spent time training with the squad. We played against Glamorgan in T20s and then Durham and Yorkshire in three dayers which was a really good experience.
“Then I was called up to join the Academy this year which I was really happy about. To be able to train in this environment and step up is so good.”
What does it mean to Ella to be part of the Somerset Academy?
“I’m just so pleased to be part of the Somerset Academy, and I’ve had such a good start to the winter, I can hardly believe it. I’ve seen quite a big change and now I’m really looking forward to the season.
“Being involved in this sort of environment boosts your game and makes you want to keep on pushing yourself even further and test your limits. It’s also such a supportive environment so you’re not afraid to go wrong and that gives you the chance to make developments to your game.”
What does Ella hope that being on the Academy will lead to?
“I hope that this will eventually help push me into the professional game. All of this hard work and training is going to help me back at my club, so I just want to keep pushing myself and developing my game. I get involved with the coaching at my club and help out whenever I can with the younger girls, so to see them coming through and enjoying the game is great.”
Looking ahead to the upcoming season Ella said: “I think the 2026 season will be more intense than the last one and I just want to make my mark with my performances, keep trying with the leg spin and go into games with the right mindset. I want to get a professional contract and that’s what I’m aiming for.”
