Universities' triangular tournament

Date released: 29 August 2008

MCC Universities, University Sports South Africa and an ECB Elite Player Development Squad will square off in a triangular tournament beginning on Saturday 30 August in Loughborough.

In the first of its kind, the pick of University talent in this country and South Africa will play two one-day games against each other and ECB’s Elite Under-19 players, with the two strongest teams qualifying for a final on Sunday 7 September.

All matches are 50 overs, start times 10.30am, and will be contested at the National Cricket Performance Centre at Loughborough University, using pink cricket balls which MCC have been testing all summer.

John Stephenson John Stephenson, MCC’s Head of Cricket, said: "This is another important milestone for the MCC Universities programme. Bringing together some of the best players from the six University Centres of Cricketing Excellence to play against their South African counterparts and ECB’s Elite Under 19 cricketers can only help to improve each and every player’s game.

"In helping to fund and organise this tournament, MCC is deepening its commitment to the Universities scheme and continues to provide opportunities both on and off the pitch for talented players. We look forward to seeing some good cricket in Loughborough.”

John Abrahams, the England Player Development Manager, who together with England Under 19 Coach Andy Pick, will oversee their squad at the tournament, added:

"This tournament is the perfect vehicle for us in two ways. Not only will this serve as a final trial for selection on England Under 19’s tour to South Africa in January 2009 but it will help us to continue the development of England’s Under 18’s as we look towards the next ICC Under 19 World Cup in 2010.

Ruel Brathwaite in action "We expect the competition from both MCC and South African Universities to be committed and intense, so it promises to be a successful tournament in Loughborough.”

Headlining for MCC Universities will be: Oxford UCCE and Somerset batsman Robin Lett; Cambridge UCCE batsman Kunal Jogia (who has been on an MCC internship with Derbyshire this summer) and all-rounder Ruel Braithwaite.

Sponsored by the Barbadian Government, Braithwaite has just qualified from Loughborough University with a 2:1 in Civil Engineering.

Sam Northeast in England colours In keeping with its global outlook, Braithwaite’s game has developed under MCC’s auspices, with the hope of producing a West Indian international to follow in the footsteps of Darren Sammy, who spent two years as an MCC Young Cricketer (YC) in 2003/04.

England’s Player Development Squad contains a host of promising players aligned to first-class county squads.

Kent’s Sam Northeast has long been identified as a batsman to watch, while Surrey’s Jason Roy has already appeared for his county in the Twenty20 cup.

Fixtures for the triangular tournament

• Sat 30 August: EPD v USSA (University Sports South Africa)

• Sun 31 August: MCC Universities v EPD

• Monday 1 September: MCC Universities v USSA

• Wednesday 3 September: EPD v USSA

• Thursday 4 September: MCC Universities v EPD

• Friday 5 September: MCC Universities v USSA

• Sunday 7 September: Final