Monty Panesar: first graduate of an MCC University to earn England call-up

Date released: 27 January 2006

Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) has congratulated Monty Panesar on being selected, earlier today, for England's tour of India.

It is the first time that an England Test squad has included a graduate from one of the MCC Universities - the new name for the six University Centres of Cricketing Excellence.

MCC's Head of Cricket, John Stephenson, a former England player, said: "I am absolutely delighted that Monty Panesar has been selected by England. It's great news for him. It's a great boost, too, for the MCC Universities initiative. We took on the task of funding and directing the University Centres of Cricketing Excellence because we wanted their students to have a much better chance of achieving sporting success while continuing their academic careers."

He continued: "We were confident that several of the graduates would proceed to play for their countries - but we didn't expect any of them to earn international selection quite so soon. I'd like to congratulate Monty Panesar on his tremendous achievement. His coach at Loughborough University, Graham Dilley, also deserves an enormous amount of credit for doing so much to help Monty develop his cricketing skills."

A graduate in computing management, Monty Panesar demonstrated his spin bowling talent at Lord's last season when, in the MCC Universities Challenge Final, he helped to steer his side to victory by taking 4 - 43 as Loughborough defeated Durham by five wickets.

He performed equally well when representing his county, Northamptonshire, last summer - taking 46 first-class wickets at an average of just 21.5 runs apiece.

The England & Wales Cricket Board also announced today that Somerset's spin-bowling all-rounder Ian Blackwell - who had already been named in the one-day squad for the Indian tour - has been placed on standby for the Test squad, too. Blackwell will replace England's first-choice spinner, Ashley Giles, if he fails to recover from injury in time for the tour.

Both Ian Blackwell and Ashley Giles are graduates of MCC's School of Merit.

Between 2005 and 2007, the Club's investment in the MCC Universities will exceed £1 million.