Under-19s top the bill

England and New Zealand Under-19s will do battle for one-day honours in the showpiece event of their summer calendar.

The ECB has confirmed the full schedule for the 2008 Elite Player Development programme for 2008, which sees all England’s age group sides in action across the country.

The Kiwis provide the opposition for the U19s in a five-match limited-overs series in August which will bring the curtain down on their domestic campaign.

England U19s, who finished fifth in the World Cup in Malaysia earlier this year, begin their season with three 50-over encounters against Middlesex second XI in April.

They meet the touring Bangladesh A side in a three-day fixture at the National Performance Centre in Loughborough in July, before a two-Test series against New Zealand gets under way later that month.

“This summer will be the first time in four or five years we have played a non-subcontinent opposition,” Pick told ecb.co.uk.

“It will be a different challenge and I’m looking forward to seeing how our players cope with that really.”

New Zealand’s preparation for the one-day series also includes a three-day clash with England U17s, who meet the Combined Services in back-to-back one-day games earlier in July.

Elsewhere, England U15s and an Elite Player Development U16 side will contest a two-day match and a 50-over encounter at the National Cricket Performance Centre in Loughborough, which is set to host a triangular tournament between an Elite Player Development XI, MCC Universities and South Africa Universities starting at the end of August.

Loughborough is also the venue for the U17 and U14 Regional Festivals, while the U15 Bunbury Festival visits Sedbergh in Cumbria and the U13 competition takes place at King’s College in Taunton.

Elite Player Development Programme - 2008 Match Schedule (46 KB)