Bristol Grammar School is proud to celebrate former pupil and current PE and Sport intern Liv Daniels on her appointment as captain of Gloucestershire Women’s cricket team. Liv, who completed her studies at BGS last year, has already made a remarkable mark on the cricketing world and continues to inspire our students both on and off the field.
Liv’s appointment as captain is the latest milestone in her rise through the Gloucestershire cricketing system. She joined the Gloucestershire Girls Pathway at 13 and by 15 had been selected for the Emerging Player Programme (EPP), where her leadership and technical maturity began to shine.
Reflecting on the moment she found out she was being appointed captain, Liv said: “I was walking home when I got a call from our Head Coach. At first, I was worried I’d missed something – but then she offered me the captaincy. I was absolutely buzzing!”
In a journey filled with dedication and standout moments, Liv has represented Gloucestershire U18s on two international tours to Sri Lanka, first in 2022 and again in 2024. Last season proved a breakthrough year: she captained the Gloucestershire U18s, represented the South West at the School Games, and earned a place in the Western Storm Academy, marking her as one of the region’s brightest cricketing prospects. This year, as she leads Gloucestershire Women into their first season as a Tier 2 team, Liv has also secured a place in the Glamorgan Tier 1 Academy, gaining invaluable elite-level experience.
Liv’s cricketing story began right here at BGS. “My first ever hardball game was at BGS in the Boys U12C team,” she shared. “At the time, girls still played softball, so to now be coaching our Year 7 Girls, who are starting straight away with hardball matches and training, is really exciting. It shows how far the game has come in just a few years.”
Throughout her time at BGS, Liv embraced every opportunity to play and develop her cricket, crediting the support of key staff members. “I was inspired by Kevin Blackburn, who was Head of Cricket when I joined BGS. My Year 7 to 11 form tutor Andy Keen and sports coach Gary Phillips were also hugely supportive. Their encouragement and belief in me were invaluable.”
Liv’s excitement at leading Gloucestershire Women was clear ahead of their opening game against Derbyshire at the Seat Unique Stadium. “Tier 2 cricket is completely new, so none of us really know what to expect – but that makes it even more exciting. As soon as we started training on grass, I had that feeling of, ‘okay, get me on the pitch!’” she said. “Hopefully, we can show both new and old Gloucestershire fans what women’s cricket can look like – and just how exciting it can be.”
Captaining the side at such a young age is both an honour and a challenge, but Liv is embracing every moment. “I’m still early on in my cricketing journey, but all the girls are so supportive and I’m very excited to lead the side in both our 50 Over and T20 competitions.”
Looking ahead, Liv is determined to keep pushing herself as both a player and coach. “My ambitions are to carry on enjoying my cricket and reach the highest level possible. Alongside playing for Gloucestershire Women and the Glamorgan Academy, I’m looking to complete my ECB coaching levels,” she explained. “Next year I’m going to university to study Sports Coaching, with the hope of teaching or coaching in the future.”
We are incredibly proud of Liv’s achievements and grateful for her dedication to inspiring the next generation of cricketers here at BGS. Her journey from back garden cricket to county captain embodies the spirit of hard work, passion, and perseverance that we aim to inspire in all our pupils.
Congratulations, Liv – we can’t wait to see what’s next!