HISTORY maker Sophia Turner has a bright future in front of her, according to Read professional Matt Walker.

The 15-year-old became the first female to represent Read in a full selection competitive fixture last weekend, playing in the defeat to Penwortham in the LCB Knockout.

Turner’s selection, from the club that produced Alex Hartley before her move to Clitheroe and Lancashire Thunder assistant coach Jenny Barden, came on the back of a string of impressive performances for the second XI and in the Village Cup - where paid players are ineligible. And Walker was impressed with her debut.

“It takes talent to play in the first team at 15, you don’t see many at that age, I only started playing first team cricket when I was 16,” he said.

“Anyone in their teenage years to be playing and actively involved in first team wins takes a lot of confidence and a lot of talent as well.

“I think she got 45 in the seconds last week, was one of the leading wicket takers in the seconds last year. She’s let her performances do the taking and you can’t really not pick her after that.

“She’s going places. She’s a star and she’ll probably be a star in the future.”

Turner’s LCB Knockout debut saw her score two runs and take 0-26 from three overs, but it’s in the Village Cup that she has starred in 2018.

She is in the side to face Tarleton in the regional semi-finals on Sunday, and Walker said: “In the first round she was probably the pick of the bowling, she got us over the line with the bat in that one as well.

“We only needed a couple of runs but any 15-year-old playing their first first team game, against other first teamers, to get the winning runs, is great, she hit the last ball for four with one wicket left, so there was a lot of pressure on her.

“It’s good to see any youngsters playing really, but particularly the way women’s cricket is evolving, it’s nice to see women pushing into the first team.

“The women’s game is getting better and better, there’s a lot of young girls at Read already, there’s a couple in the under-11s set-up, there’s quite a few in the under-9s, there’s a lot down the road at Lowerhouse.

“There’s a lot of young, talented, female cricketers in Lancashire that we might be hearing a bit more about in the next couple of years.”

Walker is unavailable for Sunday’s clash but will play in Read’s T20 opener against Whalley tonight and in tomorrow’s Ramsbottom Cup clash with Feniscowles.

“We’ve got the start of the T20 and it’s always nice to be having a bit of fun on a Friday night, especially with the weather as it is,” Walker said.

“It’s always pretty tasty against Whalley as well, they beat us a few times last year so we’ve got a bit of a revenge mindset.

“We’ve got a cup game against Feniscowles on Saturday which we need to win to make sure we go through to the next stage, then we’re in the Village Cup regional semi-final on Sunday which I can’t be involved in as there’s no paid players, but we’re doing extremely well in that.

“It’s a big weekend for us really, it can really kickstart something special at Read this season.

“I get to have a bit of a sit down on Sunday which is nice. It’s good to have some cricketing weather, I know our groundsman are pleased about it and are preparing some really good decks.

“It’s hard work when you’re bowling but it’s nice to bat, especially with Read being so small, you don’t have to run much!”