Worcestershire CCC are to play their part in the staging of the prestigious English Schools Cricket Association 29th Bunbury Cricket Festival which is being hosted by Malvern College this July.
The 29th festival will showcase the skills of 56 of the most talented England Under-15 players in the country and is being staged from July 27 to 31 this summer.
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.
New Road will play its part on Wednesday July 29 with the staging of the festival's T20 competition with teams representing the North, South, West and East of England.
The remainder of the festival is being held at Malvern College and Barnards Green CC.
Worcestershire chief executive David Leatherdale, who himself participated in the Bunbury Festival, said: "This year's Bunbury Festival coincided with Malvern College's 150th Anniversary and our 150th Anniversary.
"With the link we've got with Malvern College as our training base, we thought it was something we could do together.
"The lads will be staying at Malvern College during the whole week and then coming to us on the Wednesday to play in the T20 competition.
"It is a good thing to do, it is a privilege to play a part in hosting it, having never done it before.
"It is effectively the regional squads at Under-15 level from which the England Under-15 squad for the rest of the summer is chosen from."
Worcestershire academy coach Elliot Wilson said: "We've been very much involved the last three or four years and this year it is being hosted by Malvern College.
"But the middle day is always played at the nearest first class county ground and on the Wednesday we are going to have the Bunburys here at New Road for the T20 competition.
"A number of our lads have been through Bunburys or Super Fours – like Josh Haynes, Nick Hammond, Josh Dell, Ben Twohig, George Scrimshaw, Daniel Lloyd.
"There are a lot of Bunburys who have gone onto play for England and have successful first class careers.
"It is a nice indicator. It is very early in the piece to be identifying talent – but it is a good indicator."
