UCCE ones to watch: Jivan Lotay

Date released: 22 April 2009

With the University season underway, MCC profiles players from each of the six UCCEs (University Centres of Cricketing Excellence) who will be hoping to make a mark this summer. First up: Cambridge's Jivan Lotay.

Jivan Lotay: One to watch At just eighteen, Jivan Lotay is one of the babies of the Cambridge University Centre of Cricketing Excellence (UCCE) squad, which is made up of elite cricketers from Cambridge and Anglia Ruskin universities.

However his youth has not deterred his coach, former Nottinghamshire and Durham wicket-keeper, Chris Scott from predicting that the Middlesex youngster could have a bright future with his opening batting and his developing off-spin.

Scott believes Lotay has that extra element of confidence without arrogance that will help him make the most of his ability.

Lotay will certainly have a fair amount of academic work vying for his attention alongside his cricket - he is studying optometry - but his cricketing philosophy is simple: "If you can bat - then bat. Don't bowl."

He is lucky to be able to pick the brains of KP Bhaskar - a family friend from Northwood in North London who has coached Rajasthan in India - when batting becomes more complicated than Lotay’s motto would suggest.

Cambridge graduate Kunal Jogia has played for MCC Lotay hopes to cement a place at the top of Cambridge UCCE’s batting order - no mean feat given the side’s early fixtures against Yorkshire, Sussex and a June tie against Essex.

His batting performance against Yorkshire - a solid 23 - was overshadowed by his bowling, which prevented the in-form Andrew Gale from making a century.

With a university season under his belt he will then return to Graeme West at the Middlesex academy to continue his training there - with the aim of making Southgate and Uxbridge his homes throughout the summer playing for Middlesex’s under 19s.