Amy Wheeler has signed a rookie contract for The Blaze, in partnership with the ACE Programme.
The 19-year-old has recently concluded her fourth year in The Blaze Academy, having joined Lightning’s pathway in 2021.
The deal will see the ACE Programme - a charity whose aim is to ‘support diverse talent from the grassroots to the elite’ - fund the initial contract.
“Amy is a game-defining cricketer with a really high ceiling, which makes this signing really exciting,” Cain Hamilton-Boyle, The Blaze's Senior Regional Talent Manager, said.
“She bowls at a high speed which gives her a point of difference, and has a good skillset. She is a strong fielder with a great arm, too, and also has the ability to strike the ball cleanly with the bat.
“Her attitude matches her technical abilities - she’s responded to the challenges she’s been presented with in recent years really well, and I’m looking forward to seeing where she goes with her cricket in the next few years.”
Wheeler, who began her cricketing journey in the Staffordshire pathway, has taken 24 wickets for the Academy across the past two summers.
She represented England at last winter’s inaugural Women’s European Cricket Championship in Malaga.
Wheeler will become one of the first two players supported into professional cricket by the ACE Programme, which was set up by Ebony-Jewel Rainford-Brent in 2020 to address the decline in minority representation in the sport.
“We’re proud to work with the ACE Programme to give Amy the opportunity she deserves,” James Cutt, Director of Cricket, said.
“The charity works exceptionally hard to provide equal opportunity, and aligns with our ambition to afford players of high potential the chance to establish themselves in the professional game.
“Amy has been in our system for a number of years, and Cain, alongside our coaching team in our pathway, deserve credit for their role in her development so far. We’re delighted she’ll be able to dedicate herself to cricket full time to keep improving.”