Meet the Academy: Holly Batey
Born December 22, 2007
Right-arm fast bowler and right-handed batter
Holly hails from Cheshire where she played through the age groups before moving to Millfield School in the autumn of 2024.
So how did Holly’s cricketing journey begin?
“My older sister started playing cricket at school and she really enjoyed it so she joined a club,” she explained. “I sat and watched her from the sidelines for a while and then I decided that I wanted to do it too. I joined in and absolutely loved it and haven’t stopped since!
“My coach put me forward to play for Cheshire and I started to play for them at Under 11s and I really enjoyed it. But then we had two seasons of Covid and didn’t play. Then, when I was 15, I played for the Under 18s. It was a big jump, but I loved it.
“Girls cricket is really big in Cheshire. Stockport Georgians is where I started playing when I was 10, and they’ve done really well. We got to the National Plate finals and we also go to the National Finals Day for the Under 19s.
“I’m a pace bowler; my stock ball comes so naturally to me I don’t have to think. It just feels so normal to go out there and bowl.”
Last summer Holly enjoyed career best figures of five for 14 from 8.3 overs, three of which were maidens.
“It was for Cheshire Under 18s against Derbyshire in a national knockout cup competition.
“It was my first five-for and I just felt so happy. At the start of every season I have targets, and one of them was getting my first five wicket haul and the other was getting onto the Academy, so I managed to achieve both of them. These are things that I’ve been wanting for a while, so I was so happy.
“Now I want to take more wickets than I did last season, and I definitely want to work on my batting and improve upon that.
“In 2025, I played one trial game for Somerset in the summer against Warwickshire and I was really hoping to play well and show what I could do. I had a good game, got a wicket with my second ball and got a low economy, so it couldn’t have gone any better. Somerset liked what they saw and here I am on the Academy.
“This coming summer I’m hoping to take more wickets than I did last year. I know there will loads of people I’ll play against who are going to be at such a high standard, so I’ll be looking to keep up with everyone else, really enjoy it and keep my love for the game.
“In 2026 I just want to have a good season by my standards, take as many wickets as I can and be an impact player. I want to be the person who people turn to when they need a wicket!”
How has it felt being part of the Somerset Academy?
“I didn’t know what to expect and I’d never been to the centre before. It’s such a good team environment and I think that everyone is so lovely. It’s such a supportive group and everyone is very communicative. It’s really such a nice place that I look forward to whenever I come here for my sessions.
“I get a lot of one-on-one coaching and that’s really beneficial to my development and my leaning.
“I give a lot of time to my cricket. I’m fortunate to be at a school that allows me to play as much as I do. I come to the centre twice a week to play cricket, and I also have gym work on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I also get a lot of cricket at school.”
Looking to the future Holly said: “I hope to have a contract with Somerset or with a professional Tier One county. I want cricket to be my career. It’s my favourite thing in the whole world and it’s what I do everything for, so to have it as a career and doing it every day is what I want. I want to be a role model for younger people and help people to get where they want to be.
“I’ve got the opportunity and now I just need to keep working on it, and take it with both hands.”
