Loughborough welcome in England women

Loughborough University has been named as the country's first women's University Centre of Cricket Excellence (UCCE) thanks to funding from the MCC.

Loughborough, which currently has 35 players at its mixed UCCE, successfully applied for funding from MCC to support a dedicated women's section and allow more female cricketers to access the world-class facilities and expertise available as part of the programme. MCC invested nearly £30,000 to allow the university to run a separate squad of up to 13 female students in 2008.

Working alongside the UCCE head coach, Graham Dilley, will be his assistant, Nicky Shaw, the England vice-captain. They will benefit from a supported strength and conditioning programme, nutritional and psychological advice, video analysis, medical screenings and subsidised kit and equipment. In addition, they will have access to the ECB's cricket performance centre.

"MCC is proud of its involvement with the UCCE scheme and our investment in University cricket continues to grow each year," John Stephenson, MCC's head of cricket, said. "Loughborough have put a great deal of time and effort into women's cricket and this funding is fully merited and well deserved. With Graham and Nicky leading the coaching, I have no doubt that we'll see even more talented women cricketers emerge from the University and, we hope, challenge for a place in the national side."

"We are very grateful to MCC for their added investment in our programme," Dilley added. "Loughborough is a great advocator of women's cricket and we have always taken the development of our female players very seriously and given them the same opportunities via the UCCE as our men.

"This additional programme provides a fantastic opportunity for the girls at Loughborough and is a just reward for the work we've put into helping develop the sport and its players."