MCCU Weekly Review 1.

6 April 2010

The English cricket season got off to a damp start over the Bank holiday weekend with the six MCC Universities playing three-day games against the counties.

Unfortunately Durham’s fixture against Lancashire was called off before the weekend, with the MCCU head coach Graeme Fowler describing the Racecourse ground as being ‘similar to mud!’

Loughborough however did spend a couple of days at the County Ground Derby before their match was eventually called off.

The four other MCCUs did manage to get some cricket in, although there were mixed fortunes for the students.

Pete Turnbull took 5 for 92 against Surrey. Cambridge gave a credible account of themselves at Fenner’s against Surrey. Pete Turnbull took 5-92 from 27 overs in Surrey’s first innings of 385 for 7 declared. In reply Cambridge made 247 with Essex wicket-keeper Adam Wheater making 52. The Surrey openers then had some batting practice in making 105 before the game ended in a draw. Incidentally both the Surrey openers are MCCU graduates: Arun Harinath was at Loughborough from 2006 to 2009 and Michael Brown was at Durham between 1999 and 2002.

At The Parks, Oxford MCCU played Northants in a severely rain-affected game. Oxford restricted the county to 72 for 3 off 29 overs on the first day. Northants went onto reach 168 for 4 in 65 overs before declaring. Oxford MCCU made a solid 244 for 5 declared before hand shakes were exchanged. Ed Young top scored with 79 not out. Oxford MCCU head coach Graham Charlesworth said: “It was good to get some cricket in. Dan Conway bowled very well to get his 2-36. When we came to bat it was a professional display from the lads in trying circumstances. We have to remember that we are playing against professionals and they will get the ball past the outside edge, so I was really pleased that the guys didn’t get frustrated and applied themselves to the task.”

At Chelmsford Essex CCC made 300 twice in the match. Alex Blake from Kent took four Essex wickets for 47 in the second innings of 312. The MCCU struggled with the bat being dismissed for 139 in their first innings, but in their second innings Blake again showed his class, making 73 before being dismissed by Durham MCCU’s Tom Westley who was playing for his home county. Along with Westley, Essex fielded four graduate MCCU cricketers: Mark Pettini (Cardiff MCCU), Tim Phillips and James Foster (both Durham MCCU), and Chris Wright (Cambridge MCCU).

At the County Ground Bristol, Cardiff MCCU had a difficult game against Gloucestershire. The county made 316 all out in their first innings, with Tom Warner
Tom Warner: Wickets against Gloucestershire. and Mike Reed taking three wickets each. Cardiff were then asked to follow-on after scoring 158 in their first innings. At the end of the game Cardiff had made 159 for 5 with Mike Barber scoring 51. Warwickshire-contracted Tom Allin aggravated a groin injury during Gloucestershire’s first innings. Head coach Kevin Lyons has said that it is not anything too serious and he hopes that Tom will be fit for Cardiff’s first BUCS game which is in Durham on the 14th April.

Results 2010