ECB today announced a multi-talented representative team reflecting cricket’s diversity across England and Wales will take on a Club Cricket Conference side at Arundel CC tomorrow (Weds Sept 2nd) in a 50-Over fixture.
The match, the first of its kind, is designed to showcase ECB’s strategic investment in women and girls’ cricket, the disability game, South Asian cricket communities, elite development and the professional and non-professional games.
The side, which will be captained by Gloucestershire’s former England wicket-keeper and Ashes 2005 winner Geraint Jones, will comprise players from the England Women’s team, England’s national disability squads, the England Under 19 team, the MCC Young Cricketers programme, ECB Premier Leagues and Minor Counties cricket.
Former Kent and England spinner Min Patel will captain the Club Cricket Conference President’s XI which will include a number of players with Minor Counties and ECB Premier League experience.
Among those taking part for the ECB XI will be England women’s Tamsin Beaumont, the captain of the England Learning Disability team, Chris Edwards, Hampshire and England left-arm spinner Danny Briggs and two other Hampshire players who have both represented England Under 19s this year; Brad Taylor and Joe Weatherley.
They will be joined by Alex Mellor from Leek CC, a prolific run-scorer for Staffordshire in last summer’s Minor Counties Championship title winning season, and two MCC Young Cricketers who are all products of the Lord’s Taverners City Cup competition which promotes cricket in urban areas; Palash Joshi and Zain Sharzad.
ECB Chief Executive Officer Tom Harrison said: “This match highlights ECB’s aim to make the sport as accessible and all-inclusive as possible and reach out to all the different members of our cricket family; from women and girls, through to South Asian cricket communities, disability cricketers and the wider professional and non-professional game.
“As a key member of the Ashes 2005 winning squad and a loyal servant of our county game, Geraint Jones is the perfect choice to captain the ECB side in this Ashes winning summer and we thank him and all the players for taking part in this celebration of cricket’s diverse appeal across England and Wales.”
ECB Representative XI:
Geraint Jones, Gloucestershire CCC and England - captain
Georgia Adams, England Women’s Academy
Tamsin Beaumont – England and Kent
Danny Briggs – Hampshire CCC and England
Chris Edwards – Captain of England Learning Disability Team
Fynn Hudson-Prentice – England Development Programme and Sussex CCC
Palash Joshi – MCC Young Cricketers
Alex Mellor – Staffordshire and Leek CC - North Staffordshire & South Cheshire Premier League team.
Brad Taylor – England Development Programme, Hampshire CCC and England U19s
Joe Weatherley – Hampshire CCC, England Development Programme and England U19s
Zain Sharzard – MCC Young Cricketers
Club Cricket Conference President’s XI:
Min Patel (Bexley CC) – captain
Tom Phillippe (Brentwood CC) (wk)
Sam Burge (East Molesey CC)
Maruf Chowdhury (Harold Wood CC)
Richard Hindley (Havant CC)
Max Osborne (Hornchurch CC)
Jonathan Walford (Brentwood CC)
Aaron West (Brentwood CC)
Andrew Westphal (East Molesey CC)
Edward Wharton (Hornsey CC)
Daniel Yarnley (Chessington CC)