Cambridge v Oxford: Preview

Date released: 2 July 2009

Oxford and Cambridge face one another on Saturday 4 July in both men's and women's matches at Lord's. Tickets start at just £5 - come and enjoy sunshine and cricket at Lord's.

The men's match takes place on the Main Ground, starting at 11am. Starting 15 minutes earlier, the women's match is on the Nursery Ground.

These Varsity tussles have been a ding-dong affair in recent years. Oxford thumped their East Anglian rivals in 2007 winning the men's match by 6 wickets and the women's fixture by 9.

Cambridge reversed that trend in 2008 winning the men's fixture by 47 runs.

Oxbridge graduate Mike Brearley is also a former MCC President Many Oxbridge graduates have gone on to international recognition - you could spot the next one.

Notable previous graduates include: Douglas Jardine; Gubby Allen; Colin Cowdrey; Ted Dexter; Nawab of Pataudi (junior and senior); Mike Brearley; Imran Khan and Mike Atherton.

More recently, two more graduates have gone on to play at Lord's for Middlesex: Ed Smith and Jamie Dalrymple.

One to watch: Ruel Brathwaite "Ones to watch" in the current crop include Cambridge's Ruel Brathwaite. The fast bowler has been picked by the West Indies and looks to have a promising future ahead of him.

Cambridge's Akbar Ansari has been in impressive form of late too - impressing in the Universities Twenty20 tournament.

The legbreak spinning all-rounder clearly enjoys playing against Oxford - his career best 193 came against the Dark Blues. Born in Ascot, he's qualified to play for England too.