Hundreds on Easter cricket courses at Lord's

Date released: 31 March 2004

MCC's Indoor School will host a range of cricket coaching courses this Easter - benefiting hundreds of promising young players.

Over 350 participants, aged between eleven and eighteen, will each receive around nine hours of specialist coaching - covering all the facets of the game.

Running from 1st to 17th April, MCC's Easter programme will feature twenty fully qualified coaches with different areas of expertise. They include Colin Bland, the former South Africa international, who will demonstrate his world-renowned fielding skills.

Speaking about the programme, MCC's Head of Cricket, and ex-Australia Test cricketer, Tony Dodemaide (right), said: "The Easter coaching schedule is one of the many ways in which MCC is working to develop the next generation of young cricketers. These children will benefit from a high standard of coaching - not just in batting, bowling and fielding, but in the spirit of the game. They cannot fail to improve as a result".

Particularly promising course attendees will be invited back to Lord's in the autumn to attend trials for MCC's School of Merit - a winter programme which helps to develop the country's very best young cricketers.

Several current England players are 'graduates' of the School of Merit. They include Rikki Clarke (the Surrey all-rounder), Ashley Giles (Warwickshire's left-arm spinner) and Gareth Batty (the Worcestershire off-spinner).

The first match of the season at Lord's will be a four-day fixture, starting on Good Friday (9th April), in which a strong MCC side will face Sussex - the Champion County.