MCCU Weekly Review 3

19 April 2010

This week has seen a lot of cricket played by the MCCUs. Firstly though congratulations must go to 2009 Leeds graduate Duncan Snell who has been picked for the ECB Unicorns squad. The Unicorns are the team selected from the club, minor counties, MCCU and MCC Young Cricketers structures to play in the Clydesdale Bank 40-over competition in 2010.

Duncan Snell bowling for Leeds in the 2009 MCCU Challenge Final at Lord's

Apart from Duncan there is a strong MCCU feel to the squad. Five other MCC graduates have been selected, they are;

- Zoheb Sharif
(Cambridge 2004 - 2007)

-Arfan Akram
(Cambridge 2001 - 2005)

-Chris Murtagh
(Loughborough 2004 - 2007)

-Josh Knappett
(Oxford 2003 - 2006)

-Tom Mees
(Oxford 2000 - 2003)

MCC’s best wishes go to all the players involved with this team. The Club hopes they enjoy the experience and achieve some good results against the counties.

Duncan’s former MCCU team mates were in action this week against Worcestershire at Kidderminster. Leeds captain Adam Wilson won the toss invited the county to bat. Worcestershire made 358 for 8 declared. Derbyshire’s Ross Whiteley was the pick of the bowlers taking 4 for 64 from 21 overs with his left arm seamers. In reply Leeds mustered only 142. Worcestershire batted again and declared at 131 for 6, leaving Leeds a target of 348 in a little over a day. Unfortunately Leeds were dismissed for 97 just after lunch on the final day.

Oxford MCCU were also in county action, against Hampshire in The Parks. Upon winning the toss Hampshire went onto score 404 for 3 declared with recent England Test debutant Michael Carberry making 164 and the highly experienced South African Test player Neil McKenzie scored 141. Although it was hard work for the Oxford players, it must be realised that this is the aim of the MCCU scheme. It provides counties with early season time in the middle, whilst the students get to experience playing against top-quality professional cricketers. MCC hopes that these matches will provide motivation for the students to raise their cricket to the next level.
In reply Oxford made a credible 242 with captain Jak Martin scoring 81. Martin was well supported by Duncan Bradshaw and Ed Young who both made scores in the 60s. Hampshire’s second innings yielded a score of 176 for 3 declared. The match ended in a draw with Oxford placed at 111 for 6.

Tom Westley made 158 against Cardiff Away from the county limelight, Durham made the long trip to South Wales for a BUCS game and an MCC Championship game against Cardiff. In the one-day fixture Cardiff beat Durham by 40 runs at Newport CC. The teams then moved to Usk CC for the two-day game. In an exciting and high scoring affair Durham knocked off Cardiff’s score of 353 with five balls to spare. Essex batsman Tom Westley was the star of the show, scoring 158. Cardiff MCCU Head Coach Kevin Lyons said; “it was a magnificent game of cricket and a really good advert for the scheme… we had Durham 5 for 2 and it could have easily gone to 20 for 4. Westley showed great application and concentration to get himself in. The most impressive part of his game for me was the way he swept. He was sweeping both our off spinner and left arm spinner on length which is the sign of a really good player.”

Durham then travelled to The Topsham ground for a one-day BUCS game against Exeter. Exeter had beaten Cambridge MCCU by seven wickets earlier on in the week at Fenner’s and so both sides would be looking at this match as important for maintaining that winning feeling.
This was another exciting game for Durham which they won with two balls and one wicket to spare. Durham scored 226 for 9 chasing Exeter’s 225 all out. George Harper took 5 for 37 in the Exeter innings.
Meanwhile in the final MCCU fixture of the week Loughborough played Bath University in BUCS at Bath CC. A comprehensive victory of 93 runs was achieved by the MCCU. Loughborough captain Alan Cope made 84 in a total of 248 for 9. In reply Bath made 155 with Peter Groves taking four wickets for 34 runs with his skiddy right arm seamers.

This week sees Oxford MCCU visiting Durham for a BUCS/ MCCU combination, whilst there is a repeat of last year’s Challenge Final as Cardiff MCCU visit Weetwood to play Leeds MCCU; again, this is a combination of BUCS and MCCU Challenge games. Leeds will be hoping that captain Richard Browning will have recovered sufficiently from the bruised heel that kept him out of the Worcester game to play against Cardiff. Finally Cambridge MCCU entertain Leicestershire in a first-class fixture at Fenner’s.

Click here for all Results 2010

MCCU Fact: On the first day of the LV County Championship season (9th April), 18% of the cricketers playing for the counties had come through the Universities system.

MCC Staff.