Ollie Sutton enjoyed a dream debut for Lancashire in the County Championship, capping long and hard road to first-class cricket with three wickets at Lords.

The left-arm bowler was born in Sefton and grew up playing his cricket in the Liverpool and District Competition with Formby CC before making the step up to county level.

Sutton’s journey to the County Championship was not straight forward. Whilst the most common route to professional sport is via the academy system, Sutton made his name playing in league cricket for Formby before being picking up a short-term contract with Lancashire in the 2024 season.

A serious injury derailed his progress last season, but he did enough to earn a professional contract with the Red Rose for 2025.

While Lancashire’s first team are preparing for their next County Championship Division Two fixture against Gloucestershire, Sutton is playing for the second team in a Roses clash against Yorkshire at Northern CC as he looks to force his way back into the team for a second appearance.

Ahead of the game, Mersey Sport Live caught up with Andy Grice, the head coach of Formby CC, who gave an insight into Sutton’s journey to the County Championship and why league cricket remains essential to the development of young players.

Andy Grice praises Lancashire debutant Ollie Sutton

Grice has a long association with Formby, as both a player and coach, and has held several roles with the club before becoming head coach.

As such, he is uniquely positioned to give an insight into Sutton’s journey, culminating in his County Championship debut. According to Grice, although Sutton was involved in age-group cricket with Lancashire, he had to learn his skills the hard way in the Liverpool leagues.

Grice said: “He was in Lancashire set up as a junior to maybe 13 or 14, I think, and then he was left out of the system. And then, although he wasn’t selected in the Lancashire under-17 squad, he was given a couple of games due to his performance for Formby and the Liverpool competition representative teams.

“Then he played in the Lancashire under-19s and he was given the Player of the Year for the team but Lancashire didn’t take him as a contracted cricketer from there. So he’s had to do it the had to it the hard way to get into first class cricket. He’s had to go to Australia in three separate winters, learning different skills over there and played in several trial games for different counties.”

General view of Formby Cricket Club
Image courtesy of Formby Cricket Club

Sutton was a prolific run-scorer for Formby CC

Sutton featured as a bowler for the Red Rose in their Championship fixture against Middlesex. But he played the majority of his cricket as a batsman and was a prolific run scorer for Formby. As such, Grice believes he could play an important role when the One-Day and T20 tournaments get underway later in the summer.

He continues: “Ollie has played plenty of County second team cricket in his will to try and earn a contract. Then last year, Lancashire showed an interest in him, quite interestingly as a bowler, because at the time he was the leading run scorer in the Liverpool competition.

“But he could bowl quick. He’s also a very, very good T20 cricketer. He hits the ball long and hard and he’s able to bowl quick with a genuinely good slower ball.”

“We see him as the genuine all-rounder and Lancashire currently seem to see him as a bowler. I think his batting for them is yet untapped, so hopefully he can get to show both.”

Andy Grice of Formby CC
Image Courtesy of Formby CC
Andy Grice receives the 2023 Club-Person of the Year award

Sutton joins Ben Aitchison in the County Championship

Whilst Sutton has stolen the headlines after making his Lancashire debut, he is not the only Formby CC product in the County Championship, with Ben Aitchison also representing Derbyshire for the last three seasons.

Grice believes this is a vindication of the standard at Formby, who trained both players through their youth careers. He continued: “I think the thing for us at Formby is that Ollie  has never played his cricket anywhere else.

“The same as Ben Aitchison at Derbyshire. Ben’s never played his cricket anywhere else. And to get two lads through from a group that initially they were put in the first team by Ian Cockbain Senior who is now passed unfortunately. Interesting, when they returned to Formby to play their club cricket, they are now captained by Ian Cockbain Junior, who also played first-class cricket.

“They played in a first team environment that was about winning and they have both gone on now to be first-class contracted cricketers. And they’ve both still played for Formby as well, when available.”

Wickets in the pitch at Formby CC
Image Courtesy of Formby CC

Formby CC are ‘immensely proud’ of Ollie Sutton

Grice’s overriding emotion is one of pride at Sutton’s progress as both a cricketer and a person. The Formby coach was effusive in his praise of the talented youngster and that pride is shared by everyone at the club.

He stated: “We’re immensely proud as a club but we’re more proud for him, himself and the man that he’s become, not just a cricketer. And he’s a real good kid who’s worked so hard.

“I don’t think anyone will understand how hard he’s worked to get to this stage. No one will understand. It’s absolutely unreal how many training sessions he puts in, how hard he works at his game, how much he listens to you as a coach and takes on board little tweaks to his game here and there. He’s a real good kid.

“He ripped a muscle off the bone of his side on his debut for Lancashire last year. He was given a contract to the end of the season and he ripped the muscle off his side in his first game. He’s also had a knee injury that’s had him set back and he’s had a lot of knocks along the way and, from not getting selected by Lancs and not getting a contract, his injuries, whatever has happened though, he’s come back.”

Sutton waiting for next Lancashire opportunity

Although Sutton performed well on debut, the signing of overseas player Anderson Phillip means he has been forced to wait for his next opportunity in the Lancashire first team.

“The last person in the world that will say anything good about Oli is Oli. He’s just a nice kid. He’ll sit, he’ll be quiet, he’ll listen to the coaches. What he can achieve is up to him.

“I don’t want to say he could do this and he could do that and he could do the other because I know what he can do. But ultimately it will be down to his performance. And that’s a fact.

“Some people grab opportunities with both hands and some don’t take them and fall away. It’s important he plays without nerves and I just hope he shows everyone what he can do.”

 

Future is bright at Formby CC

This week saw another Formby product, 17-year-old Archie Davies, play for the Lancashire second team after a five-wicket display for the spinner in the National Knockout on Sunday at Fleetwood. Grice praised the achievements of Davies and of another 17 year old, Lucas Kennedy, who is a fine batsman coming through in the Formby first-team.

While Sutton waits for his next opportunity, Grice will continue his valuable work at Formby CC, attempting to develop the next generation of talent. And whilst the performance on the field is important, Grice believes the role that cricket can play in helping develop young players into good people is vital.

He concluded: “It’s really important to us that we try and give people the right grounding. So, they might not be the best cricketer in the world, but they become better people which is really important to us.

“Not many kids go off the rails after they’ve been at Formby. It’s really valuable. I think cricket in general is a brilliant game to keep kids away from all the demons that there are out there now.”

Formby CC offer primary school coaching and youth teams from under-11 to 18, as well as adult teams in both men’s and women’s cricket. Anyone wanting to get involved can contact the club at [email protected].

Images courtesy of Formby CC

 

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