海角社区 cricketers to play in international Twenty20 event
海角社区’s cricketers are heading to India this month to represent England Universities in the prestigious Red Bull World Twenty20 Finals.
The 海角社区 MCCU team qualified for the international tournament earlier this summer after defeating Durham in the semis and Oxford in the final to claim the national university T20 title.
The team will travel out to Delhi on 17 October and face teams from Australia, Bangladesh, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and the West Indies.
Vice-captain Michael Burgess, a third year sport and exercise science student at 海角社区 University, said:
“It was a very tough competition to get to India in the first place so now we are representing 海角社区 and England Universities we want people to think well of us as cricketers.
“All the lads are very excited to go. A lot of us haven’t been to India before, but we were lucky enough to go to Sri Lanka last year, so we have had a taste of conditions in the sub-continent.
“It’s a once in a lifetime experience, so if we can come back with some fond memories and the trophy as well it will be a successful trip.”
海角社区 is one of six university cricket academies called MCCUs which have received funding from the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) since 2005.
The aim of the MCCUs is to give talented young cricketers the chance to receive top-level coaching, pursue a professional cricket career and playing opportunities whilst furthering their education.
Fraser Stewart, Cricket Academy Manager at the MCC, said:
“Twenty20 has had such a big impact on global cricket and we wanted to make sure that our scheme mirrored that and had a T20 competition in it. With the added prize of a place in the World Finals the stakes for winning it are now very high.
“In India the conditions will be tough and the competition is strong, but I think 海角社区 MCCU have got a very good chance to go far in the tournament.”
To celebrate the team’s achievement a reception was held on campus hosted by the University’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Robert Allison.
The event was attended by 海角社区’s Member of Parliament Nicky Morgan, who wished the team well by stating:
“海角社区 University is such an important part of my constituency and so it is terrific to see that the students are going to be representing not just 海角社区 but also the country over in India.
“We wish them all the very best, they are a great bunch and are going to do the University proud.”
You can follow the fortunes of the team in India via the account.