Combined UCCE side make ready

Date released: 2 July 2009

A combined team picked from the six University Centres of Cricketing Excellence are warming-up for their inaugural season in the Second XI Championship.

MCC Combined Universities start their season on Tuesday 7 July with a visit to Southend to play Essex IIs.

This season has already provided many opportunities for the cricketers at the six MCC Universities: Cambridge; Cardiff/Glamorgan; Durham; Leeds/Bradford; Loughborough and Oxford.

Early fixtures against county first teams, an MCC Universities Championship - with a Challenge Final at Lord’s - and a recent Twenty20 tournament have given a platform on which the university cricketers have hoped to impress.

The opportunities will continue into the university summer holiday as the Combined side are included, for the first time, in the Southern Division of the Second XI County Championship.

Clive Radley: awarded an MBE in 2008 for services to cricket MCC Young Cricketers coach Clive Radley believes it could be a breakthrough for many of the promising students among the ranks of the MCC Universities:

"It is an ideal opportunity that puts them in the shop window. All the county coaches will be watching so if they perform on a regular basis then it could be a life-changing opportunity for them.

"It is a high level. It’s one down from first-class so if they perform there’s a good chance they could be playing county cricket, which is the main object of the exercise."

UCCE XI take on Australian Indigenous XI

As a precursor to these Championship matches, an MCC Combined Universities team played an Australian Indigenous XI.

Comprised of aboriginal players, the talented young Indigenous team are on a tour of Britain and having already faced teams from Kent, Middlesex and the Home Counties Leagues.

They are looking to showcase their talent and ultimately add to the number of aboriginal players who have worn the baggy green cap of Australia. Currently, Jason Gillespie is the only indigenous Australian to have done so.

• Find out more about the touring Indigenous XI

Bishop: Disappointed not to make a century In the two day match at Teddington Cricket Club, MCC Universities finished day one on 386-7 after 94 overs, with Cardiff's in-form batsman Ryan Bishop hitting sixteen boundaries on the way to 84.

Bishop, who also starred in Cardiff’s MCC Universities Challenge Cup winning campaign that ended at Lord’s this week, said: "I’m disappointed I didn’t get the century but I would have taken 84 at the start of the innings.

"They had a few first-class players and had a decent team so I’m pleased with the performance."

Ed Young hit 62 and an unbroken eighth wicket partnership of 117 between Michael Barber (68 not out) and Gavin Baker (65 not out) steered the MCC side to a strong opening innings as they thwarted the Australian attack led by captain and pace bowler Dan Christian (2-45).

Cardiff/Glamorgan's Michael Barber impressed with both bat and ball Having had difficulty bringing in the big names, Radley thought the final eleven performed very well under the circumstances:

"Quite a few of the ones we wanted to select were unavailable to play so it gave opportunities to a few other lads and one or two of them seem to have taken it already which is what it’s all about really."

The Indigenous XI won the match by one wicket.

It looked plain sailing for the tourists at 320-3 but then MCC Universities fought back to move within one wicket of victory.

Following up on his runs the day before, Gavin Baker was the pick of the bowlers.

However, the Indigenous Australian’s last pair added the eight runs needed to win in a tense and thrilling climax, played out - as recent Ashes battles have been - in a good-spirited and competitive manner.