SANATH JAYASURIYA TO CAPTAIN MCC v WEST INDIANS AT DURHAM

Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) today announced that the Sri Lanka opening batsman and former captain, Sanath Jayasuriya, will lead the MCC team which will play the West Indians at the Racecourse Ground, Durham, from 1st-3rd June. Jayasuriya, who played for Sri Lanka in the recent Warid Cricket Series of one-day internationals against Pakistan, will fly to England especially for the match.

The MCC team will also include former MCC Young Cricketer Will Porterfield, who represented Ireland in the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup, and current YC Lee Hodgson, who came on as a substitute for Matthew Hoggard during the Lord's Test match and held a stunning catch off Steve Harmison's bowling to dismiss Jerome Taylor. The rest of the team will be made up of MCC Young Cricketers and players who are studying at MCC Universities - the six university centres of cricketing excellence which are funded exclusively by MCC. In total, MCC ploughs over £850,000 per annum into the Young Cricketers and MCC Universities schemes as well as scheduling matches against strong opposition which will enable the players to develop further.

This match is the only remaining three-day, first-class fixture that the West Indians will play on their current tour of England.

John Stephenson, MCC Head of Cricket, said:

"I am delighted that we have been able to appoint a player with Sanath's experience as captain for this important fixture. He brings with him a wealth of tactical knowledge, having played for Sri Lanka against the West Indies in ten Test matches and 30 one-day internationals. The youngsters in the team will be able to learn a great deal from him which should stand them in good stead for their future playing careers. MCC is committed to developing university cricket, not only with financial assistance but also by providing top-quality playing opportunities. This match fulfils that fundamental criterion."

Sanath Jayasuriya said:

"I am greatly looking forward to leading this young team against the West Indians at Durham. Few young players will have such an opportunity to play against quality opposition and I am sure that the students will make the most of it. The match will be a big challenge, but I am confident that we will be able to perform well against the touring team."

The MCC squad in full:

Sanath Jayasuriya (capt) Sri Lanka

Ruel Brathwaite Loughborough UCCE

Simon Butler Cardiff UCCE

Shaaiq Choudhry Leeds/Bradford UCCE

Paul Dixey (wk) Durham UCCE

Laurie Evans Durham UCCE

Lee Hodgson MCC Young Cricketers

James Morris Durham UCCE

William Porterfield Ireland, Ex MCC YC & Leeds/Bradford UCCE

Mali Richards Oxford UCCE

Zoheb Sharif Cambridge UCCE

Mark Tomsett MCC Young Cricketers

Robbie Williams Durham UCCE