Worcestershire Academy can look forward to some attractive fixtures this summer – including four days cricket against the Ireland Under-17 side during August.
The Academy will take on Ireland for two days at Stourbridge CC and then later the same week in another two days action at Bromsgrove CC.
Academy coach Elliot Wilson has organised a varied and interesting schedule from early April through to September.
It involves more than 25 games for the full Academy, Worcestershire Under-19s and Emerging Performance Programme teams.
Wilson is looking forward to the matches against Ireland. He said: "To be hosting them in the summer is something to look forward to. How did the fixtures come about? They contacted us.
"They've had a change of funding through ICC Europe which has allowed them to go and find their own cricket rather than playing the Age Group European Championships which involve themselves, Denmark, and Holland and Scotland, an ongoing programme for a number of years.
"They are now not involved in that and have got the opportunity now to find their own high quality cricket which they feel is better suited to their needs rather than the needs of ICC Europe.
"Craig Hogan (Ireland Academy Manager) sent us an email saying we are looking for some cricket. I said 'what a wonderful opportunity for us.' It gives us different opposition that we are not used to playing."
The Academy and Worcestershire Seconds are in action today in a 50 over match at Kidderminster (11am start).
They will then start their fixtures next weekend with back to back matches against Millfield School, Shrewsbury School and Worksop College at Shrewsbury School.
The schedule includes three three-day fixtures – the full Academy against Somerset Under-19s and the Worcestershire Under-19 team against Lincolnshire Under-25s and Northamptonshire Under-19s.
ACADEMY FIXTURES
APRIL
8 Millfield School Shrewsbury School
9 Shrewsbury School Shrewsbury School
10 Worksop College Shrewsbury School
MAY
4 Malvern College Malvern College
15 Worcs Cricket Board U-17s Bromsgrove CC
22 Worcs Cricket Board U-17s Bromsgrove CC
30 Worcs U-19s v Midlands CCC Stourbridge
30, 31 June 1 Gloucs Academy AWAY TBC
JUNE
12 Herefordshire 2nd X1 AWAY TBC
28 EPP v South-South West U-15s Great Rissington CC
JULY
6,7,8, Somerset U-19s Taunton Vale
10 Gloucs Academy Dumbleton CC
11 EPP v Midlands U-15s Shrewsbury School
13 Worcs League X1 Old Elizabethans
24 Worcs U-19s v Warks U-19s KES, Edgbaston
26 Worcs U-19s v Staffs 2nd X1 Walsall CC
27,28,29 Worcs U-19s v Lincs U-25s Bromsgrove CC
31 Devon Lions Cheltenham CC
AUGUST
8,9 Ireland U-17s Stourbridge
9,10 EPP v Oxfordshire EPP Dumbleton CC
11,12 Ireland U-17s Bromsgrove CC
14 North Staffs-South Cheshire League X1 AWAY TBC
23 Gloucs Halesowen
25 Gloucs Halesowen
31, Sept 1, 2 Worcs U-19s v Northants U-19s Desborough CC
SEPTEMBER
4 Academy-EPP v Warwicks TBC (Worcs).
*EPP = Emerging Performance Programme
*Midlands CCC = Midlands Club Cricket Conference
