ICC World T20: MCC YCs XI

Date released: 16 June 2009

The ICC World Twenty20 - England 2009 features a host of stars. MCC can boast a team of eleven with links to the Young Cricketers team at Lord's.

With a strong blend of experience and youth; powerful hitters; quick seamers and mystery spin bowlers we think the MCC YC XI could challenge for the title!

ICC World T20 - MCC Young Cricketers XI:

1. Caroline Atkins (England)

World-record holder Atkins Atkins opened for England during their victorious World Cup campaign but comes in lower down the order in the Twenty20 format.

After attending Durham UCCE she graduated to the MCC YC scheme in 2005.

If the England women make the final at Lord’s she will hope to emulate her last performance at the Home of Cricket - 145 in a world record partnership of 268 in women’s ODIs in 2008.

2. William Porterfield (Ireland)

Flashback: Porterfield's team photo as a YC from '04-'06 The Ireland captain was on the Lord’s Groundstaff from 2004 to 2006 and led his team into the Super 8s with a six wicket victory over Bangladesh. Opening the batting Porterfield scored a quick-fire 23.

Ireland "punched above their weight" throughout the tournament and only lost narrowly to one of the favourites, Sri Lanka, at Lord's.

3. Ross Taylor (New Zealand)

Big hitter: Taylor's tournament has been hit by injury The explosive Taylor is well suited to Twenty20 as Scotland’s Jan Stander found out when he hit him for consecutive sixes to take New Zealand towards victory in their first group match.

Although his 22 against South Africa couldn’t stop a one run loss for the Black Caps, New Zealand are strongly favoured to progress through to the semi finals so he will have plenty more chances to show the world what he can do.

4. Charlotte Edwards (England) (Captain)

Ashes winner Edwards sits on the MCC Young Cricketers' sub-committee Our captain was never an MCC Young Cricketer but she does now sit on the MCC Young Cricketers sub-committee and identifies talented young female cricketers who would benefit from working with women’s coach Alan Duncan.

After lifting the ODI World Cup in March, her England team are hot favourites for the Twenty20 version on home soil. They eased to a seven wicket victory in a warm up match against New Zealand on Monday, with Edwards scoring 55 not out.

5. Daan van Bunge (Netherlands)

Van Bunge's squad-shot from his days at Lord's Van Bunge played in the Netherlands’ remarkable last ball win over England which opened the ICC World Twenty20, and scored at a run-a-ball batting down the order.

An MCC YC from 2003 to 2005, no matter what he achieves during the rest of his career, that gloomy June night at Lord’s will be difficult to beat.

6. Gary Wilson (Ireland) (Wicketkeeper)

Wilson was one of Ireland's top-scorers with the bat Ireland’s 'keeper Wilson showed considerable bottle with the bat against India’s attack when he scored 19 in Ireland’s final group match on Wednesday.

One of three Irishmen in this 'MCC XI' like his team-mates Wilson was part of an Ireland side who made a good impression on the tournament.

A YC in 2005 and 2006, he now keeps wicket for Surrey.

7. Kevin O’Brien (Ireland)

Flashback: Kevin's squad photo from his days at Lord's With his big brother Niall, Kevin O’Brien took Ireland to a six wicket victory over Bangladesh in the group stages.

His 39 off just 17 balls - including two sixes - ensured Ireland’s passage through to the Super Eights.

At Lord's the O'Brien brothers were both part of the team which lost only narrowly to the impressive Sri Lanka side.

8. MD Mahmud Ullah (Bangladesh)

Flashback: Mahmud Ullah was a 'YC' in 2005 The Bangladeshi off-spinning all-rounder was based at Lord’s in 2005.

Unfortunately he won’t have the chance to return to the Home of Cricket with his team-mates after Bangladesh went out in the group stages.

9. Nicky Shaw (England)

Shaw receiving her 50th England cap Man-of-the-match in the 2009 World Cup final for her 4-34, Shaw was in the first intake of female YCs in 2003.

A genuine all-rounder, she tends to open the bowling in the Twenty20 format and comes in at seven to hit some late runs.

Shaw now coaches Loughborough’s cricketers alongside Graham Dilley and will hope to make it two out of two for England’s women cricketers in World Cup finals this year.

10. Darren Sammy (West Indies)

Sammy at Lord's in his Young Cricketer days Sammy didn’t take part in the West Indies’ Chris Gayle-fuelled demolition of the Australians at the Oval but he does have the credentials to pull top Twenty20 performances out of the bag when it matters.

He was man-of-the-match in the $20million Stanford Superstars match in November 2008 and played his part in the Windies' Super Eight win at The Oval which knocked England out of the tournament.

11. Beth Morgan (England)

Morgan is still on the MCC's books at Lord's Morgan is the only member of the team to still be based at Lord’s - she is enjoying her second year as an MCC YC.

Another of Charlotte Edwards’ bunch of world champion all-rounders, she bats higher in Twenty20 - usually number four - than in ODIs where she adds strength to the middle-order.