Worcestershire CCC Academy can look forward to another exciting and challenging 2018 fixture list which will include further participation in the Graham Williamson Trophy, four matches against Ireland Under-19s and a Tri-Series also involving Leicestershire and Northamptonshire.
There is once again a strong accent on competitive fixtures which Academy Coach Elliot Wilson believes can only be of benefit to the County’s 2017-2018 intake in terms of their development.
The Academy face an away trip to Moseley in the opening round of the Birmingham League GW Trophy on April 14.
The winners of that game will face an away game against the winners of the Dorridge or Kidderminster clash in the second round.
The losers of those two ties will meet in the plate competition.
Ireland will be making the trip to these shores to take on the Worcestershire Academy for a third successive year and further highlighting the good relationship between the two bodies.
There will be a change of format this year with the teams meeting in a two day game, a 50 over contest and two T20s over four days at Stourbridge and Kidderminster respectively.
The Tri-Series with Northamptonshire and Leicestershire was launched last year and again provides cricket with a competitive edge over all three formats of the game.
Wilson said: “To have cricket that has something on it as opposed to just a friendly or development game is always good although, in all our games, guys are wanting to prove a point in terms of they should be the next cab off the rank.
“But to play the Graham Williamson Trophy, the Tri-Series and a competitive series of games against Ireland is pretty healthy and gives it that extra edge.
“The Graham Williamson Trophy is a beneficial competition for the lads. It is two games against good league ‘men’ cricketers. It is a real stretch for our lads.
“We will play quite a young side in that competition, 15,16,17 year-olds and it will be exciting for them to play against Moseley who are a strong Birmingham League side.
“I look forward to seeing how we go about our business on that day and we go into it with the expectations of trying to win that game.
“As regards the games with Ireland, they have been awarded their Test match status and are starting to participate in development games in red ball as well as white ball cricket.
“We are going to play a different format this year, a two day red ball game at Stourbridge and then two days of white ball cricket at Kidderminster, a 50 over game and two T20s.
“I am chuffed they keep coming over. It is a highlight of our cricket. We’ve got a couple of their Academy bowlers coming over next week to train with the first team and the relationship with Ireland continues to be there and we love hosting them.
“With the Tri-Series, we will play Northamptonshire and Leicestershire again in a series of T20, 50 over and three day games. We are hosting the T20 day this year at Barnt Green.
“It all adds up to an exciting and challenging summer for the Academy squad.”
FULL ACADEMY FIXTURE LIST
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APRIL
4,5 SECOND ELEVEN – RGS WORCESTER – A
11,12,13 SHREWSBURY SCHOOL FESTIVAL – A
14 MOSELEY (GW TROPHY) – A
—–
MAY
6 DORRIDGE OR KIDDERMINSTER (GW TROPHY) – A
16 MALVERN COLLEGE – A
28 CLUB CRICKET CONFERENCE – STOURBRIDGE – A
—–
JUNE
24 LEICS-NORTHANTS T20 DAY – BARNT GREEN – H
—–
JULY
1 LEICS – UPPINGHAM – A
23,24 IRELAND U-19S – STOURBRIDGE – H
26,27 IRELAND U-19S – KIDDERMINSTER – H
—–
AUGUST
14,15,16 LEICS – BROMSGROVE – H
19 WARWICKS T20 X 2 – BARNT GREEN – A
21 NORTHANTS – DUMBLETON – H
23 STAFFS – KIDDERMINSTER – H
28,29,30 NORTHANTS – DESBOROUGH – A
—–
SEPTEMBER
2 NORTH STAFFS-SOUTH CHESHIRE U-25S – A – TBC
