After breaking new ground in 2025, pioneering cricketer Brianna Ray has both career and sporting ambitions for the year ahead.
Ms Ray, 22, graduated from Loughborough University in Britain with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics.
In January, she began working as an actuarial consultant at EY in Bermuda.
She said 2026 “has a lot of potential”.
“From a sporting perspective, I hope to help the Tigers win the netball league. In cricket, my goal is to play premier division cricket and establish myself at that level. Transferring to the Somerset league team is an important step in helping me achieve this.
“Working with Janeiro Tucker and Mahesh Hatkar — both of whom are passionate about developing women’s cricket through 186HP Cricket Academy — would allow me to grow while being part of something bigger than just my own development.
“I also want to be involved in Cup Match training and work hard enough to earn an opportunity in the Cup Match trials. I aim to play in the Colt Cup Match again and deliver a strong team performance to win the cup and bring it back to Somerset.”
Ms Ray added: “From a career perspective, I hope to pass my actuarial exams on the first attempt and settle comfortably into my new role.”
Breaking barriers
The talented all-rounder left Bermuda at 14 to attend Sedbergh School in Cumbria, England, on a cricket scholarship.
Since then, she has played on Loughborough’s British Universities and Colleges Sport champion women’s team, been named substitute fielder for England in the historic women’s five-day Test match against Australia, opened twice for Flatts in the Athene T20 Knockout Cup, played for South Perth Cricket Club women’s team in Australia, and last year became the first woman to play in Somerset Cricket Club’s final Cup Match trial and in Colt Cup Match.
However, the journey has had its challenges.
At Sedbergh, Ms Ray missed her family and friends, and the warmer, drier Bermuda weather – but the experience humbled her and made her more independent and resilient.
Two years ago, a lower back stress fracture sidelined her for ten months. A sports psychologist helped Ms Ray to talk through the experience of wondering when, or if, she would feel like herself again.
“One of the most important things that process taught me was that I am more than just a cricket player. The journey back was long and demanding, but it reshaped me.
“Rehab forced me to slow down and focus on the fundamentals — spending countless hours in the gym and rebuilding my skills from the ground up. In doing so, I became stronger, more functional, and more aware of my body.”
Returning, Ms Ray bowled nearly five miles per hour faster and her batting improvement allowed a transition from lower-order to middle-order.
“Being forced to slow down gave me something I wouldn’t have found otherwise. It taught me resilience, perspective, and that growth doesn’t always look like progress in the moment — but it can shape you in ways that last far longer.”
Of her successes, Ms Ray says two moments stand out.
“Winning the BUCS final at Lord’s during my final year at university remains one of my proudest achievements, as it represented three years of hard work both on the cricket field and in the classroom. Winning at Lord’s, alongside some of my closest friends, was an unforgettable experience.
“Becoming the first woman to take part in Colt Cup Match and Somerset Cup Match trials was something I never expected to happen in 2025. I attended Cup Match training to challenge myself and to place myself in a high-intensity environment.
“Cup Match is a dream for every Bermudian cricketer, and being so closely involved in that space made me incredibly proud. The support I received from women across the island meant a great deal to me and made me feel truly backed throughout the journey.”
Overseas, Ms Ray admired the work ethic of English international cricketer Tammy Beaumont, her teammate on The Blaze, the East Midlands regional women’s team.
“The standard she sets every day, both on and off the field, is incredibly inspiring, and seeing that level of commitment up close made a lasting impression on me.”
She added: “Having a role model is important because sometimes you need to see what is possible before you can fully believe it for yourself.
“Role models show you that success is achievable through hard work, resilience, and consistency, and they help shape the standards you set for yourself.”
Inspiring others
Now, Ms Ray seeks to inspire Bermuda’s young female athletes.
“This isn’t just about women cricketers — it’s about women in sport as a whole. This matters deeply to me because I want any young girl in Bermuda who loves cricket to be able to play at home, without feeling that she has to leave in order to be taken seriously. For many, leaving home to pursue sport simply isn’t accessible, and it shouldn’t be a requirement to follow your passion or fulfil your potential.
“Growing up, it never felt as though women’s sport was truly taken seriously, and that feeling has stayed with me. All I have ever wanted — then and now — is to be in Bermuda, in my home, playing cricket alongside other women and girls.
“While playing with the men presents a significant challenge, I will always support and admire any woman who puts herself forward to compete in male-dominated environments. I find it incredibly empowering to see women thrive in spaces where they have historically been underrepresented and perform at the same level.
“I would love to be that example for a young girl in Bermuda — someone she can look up to and see as proof that she can aspire to anything, and that her dreams are valid right where she is.”
Of her cricketing aspirations, Ms Ray said: “I would love the opportunity to play overseas again, but for now, I’m focusing on developing my cricket and career here in Bermuda.
“I see this as a chance to strengthen my game, gain experience, and contribute to cricket locally.”
