The English School Cricket Association 29th Bunbury Cricket Festival gets underway today (Monday) with four members of the Worcestershire CCC development programme amongst the 56 Under-15 players showcasing their skills.
Jack Haynes, youngest son of former Worcestershire all-rounder Gavin Haynes, Musharraf Shahzad, who is a cousin of Moeen Ali, wicket-keeper Ewan Wilcox and pace bowler Ryan Wheldon will participate in the festival and represent the Midlands.
It is being hosted by Malvern College but New Road will play its part on Wednesday with the staging of the festival's T20 competition with teams representing the North, London and the South East, South and South West and the Midlands.
David English's annual Bunbury Festival has helped discover and nurture many talented cricketers.
More than 300 Bunburys have gone onto play first class cricket – and over 60 have represented England according to the Bunburycricket.com website.
It is fitting that Malvern College and Worcestershire CCC are involved in the festival this summer with both organisations celebrating their 150th Anniversary Year.
Current Worcestershire chief executive David Leatherdale and England Under-19 all-rounder Ed Barnard – in 2011 – are amongst those with current links at the county who have appeared in past Bunbury festivals.
Worcestershire CCC Academy coach Elliott Wilson said: "They are always good weeks. It is a little bit of recognition for lads who are 15 years of age that they are doing the right things.
"It's a great experience for them. It's a great week, they get well looked after, they get some really good cricket and see where they are in relation to the other guys who are performing at 15.
"But, as we know, so much goes on between 15 and 20. Guys who aren't there may well be the future players and the guys who are there may just drift away.
"Josh Tongue of our Academy didn't play for the Bunburys and now he is over-taking guys who did get to Bunburys so that's the way it works."
