University cricketers graduate to counties

Date released: 1 July 2008

MCC demonstrate their commitment to University cricket as the first cricketers to benefit from an internship scheme with first-class counties are announced.

Loughborough’s Johan Malcolm, Oxford’s Duncan Bradshaw and Cambridge’s Kunal Jogia have signed three-month internships with Leicestershire, Essex and Derbyshire respectively. MCC will pay the players’ contracts while the counties will assume responsibility for the management of the player as they undergo their extended trial.

It is a partnership that MCC hopes will work well, as John Stephenson, Head of Cricket for the Club, explains: "The internship scheme is one that suits both parties.

"Not only can MCC help to develop University cricketers and the MCC University scheme but the county gets to work with the cream of the crop for an extended period.

"Players will be given a good opportunity to impress without feeling the pressure of having to produce in a one-off situation, which is what has previously happened."

Malcolm: Keen to demonstrate his ability Coming from MCC Universities Challenge Final victory at Lord's on Monday 30 June, Loughborough's Johan Malcolm - who has recently completed his Business Economics and Finance Degree - is looking forward to his stint at Leicestershire:

"Having access to the superb facilities and coaching on offer at Loughborough and being part of the MCC Universities scheme has undoubtedly helped my game.

"Having enjoyed three years as a UCCE cricketer, I am now looking forward to this extended opportunity with Leicestershire County Cricket Club.

"It is up to me to demonstrate to the coaches at Leicester that my ability and attitude is right to take the next step for a career in cricket."

Tim Boon, Senior Coach at Leicestershire, said of the top-order batsman: "We are delighted to welcome Johan Malcolm to Leicestershire County Cricket Club.

"The new MCC Internship Scheme offers young cricketers a chance to join a professional staff for a period of time to continue the development already undertaken by their University."

"Johan Malcolm was our first choice as he fits into the current profile that we are looking for. Graham Dilley, the Loughborough UCCE Head Coach, gave him an excellent reference and we look forward to giving Johan an extended opportunity during the summer."

Bradshaw: Hoping to impress "We are most grateful to the MCC and will work closely with them in this partnership in helping to produce more local players."

Johan Malcolm has already represented his country of birth, Denmark, but has been based near Leicestershire for many years, making him English qualified and available for selection by the first-class county.

Hoping to impress

Duncan Bradshaw will also benefit from the greater exposure to county cricket that the internship will provide.

Jogia: Aiming to catch the eye at Derbyshire Having already turned out for Essex 2nd XI this season and last – impressing with a century in 2007 – the Oxford UCCE student will hope to impress John Childs and his fellow coaches at Lord's.

Completing the trio is top-order batsman Kunal Jogia, who has excelled for Cambridge UCCE against the first-class counties he has played against this season, averaging 60.

The Communication and Film Studies student will hope to impress Derbyshire much like he has MCC, having already toured Tanzania and Malawi with the Club in 2007.