Europe Academy head to India

ICC Europe has announced the 14 names, including seven from Scotland and Ireland, who will travel to India in February to take part in the ICC European Cricket Academy 2008, which will take place for the first time outside of Europe - at the Cricket Club of India in Mumbai from from 24 February to 5 March.

The academy will be organised through the Mumbai-based Global Cricket School. The European players will be accompanied by a highly qualified ICC Europe coaching team led by the ICC regional development officer Philip Hudson.

The team includes ECB’s head of elite coach development Gordon Lord, former Ireland coach Adrian Birrell and Stuart Barnes, assistant coach of Gloucestershire.

The previous five academies have been held at Europe-based venues including Loughborough and more recently the excellent venue of La Manga resort in Spain.

The programme will consist of five days of practice and three matches against a variety of opposition including an U-19 state side. The matches will take the form of one two-day and two one-day matches.

“We have decided to move this year’s academy to India to further develop the player’s skills in a tough environment that will test all involved,” said Gloucestershire assistant coach Hudson.

“Holding the academy on the sub-continent will allow all players the opportunity to develop their game on different surfaces and in different conditions to what they have become accustomed to,” he said.

“All of these young cricketers have the potential to play for their national teams in the near future and with many of our Associate and Affiliate sides participating more frequently on the international stage, it is essential that they learn to play on different types of surfaces.”

The 14 participants, all aged between 18 and 22, come from six of Europe’s 27 ICC Member countries – Gibraltar, Guernsey, Ireland, Israel, the Netherlands and Scotland.

ICC Europe is funding places on the academy for 13 cricketers and an additional place has been made available, thanks to the support of the Global Cricket Academy, taking the total up to 14.

The programme includes four Irish players, all of whom played for their country in the 2006 ICC U/19 Cricket World Cup in Sri Lanka.

The four are former MCC young cricketer Gary Kidd, full-time professional Gary Wilson who has recently signed a contract with Surrey, promising wicket-keeper\batsman Fintan McAllister and a graduate of the Middlesex academy, Andrew Poynter.

The selection includes three Scottish players, Richard Berrington, Andrew Hislop, who also all played in the 2006 U/19 CWC, and Scott Redhead.

Solomon Varsulkar, from Israel, is also included and he is their first representative at the Academy.

The European Academy Squad 2008:

Kieron Ferrary, Gibraltar
Blane Queripel, Guernsey
Kris Moherndl, Guernsey
Gary Kidd, Ireland
Fintan McAllister, Ireland
Andrew Poynter, Ireland
Gary Wilson, Ireland
Solomon Varsulkar, Israel
Bob Entrop, Netherlands
Timothy Gruijters, Netherlands
Maurits Jonkman, Netherlands
Richard Berrington, Scotland
Andrew Hislop, Scotland
Scott Redhead, Scotland