Ramprakash in for Cricket Festival

Mark Ramprakash returns to the country where he recorded his only Test century as one of the major attractions in the 23rd annual Pro Am Cricket Festival which starts in full tomorrow. The 31-year-old, who represented England in 42 Tests and 13 One-Day Internationals, will lead the Boatyard XI against the Coach House XI at the Banks Breweries ground.

The Coach House will be led by Bill Athey, who played 23 Tests for England.

Ramprakash scored 154 at Kensington against the West Indies two seasons ago, but is now out of favour with the selectors.

Rob Bailey, Angus Fraser, Ed Giddins, Devon Malcolm and Steve Rhodes are among the prominent English players who will be participating in the tournament, which for the third year is being sponsored by Virgin Atlantic.

The Blade Pro-Am Festival, as it has been dubbed, has attracted 80 supporters from England in addition to the 14 overseas and 13 local professionals and amateurs.

This year six teams will compete in the Banks Breweries Pro/Am League. This will include a Combined Schools team which, as was case for the last 16 years, will be sponsored by Caribbean Home Insurance.

As is its tradition, Caribbean Home Insurance will donate the gear and equipment used in the festival to schools.

At a Press conference at the Boat Yard nightclub yesterday, the organisers, RC Barbados Tours and Blade of England, announced that the festival will climax with what has now become the annual Virgin Atlantic Challenge Match. The game is being co-sponsored by Carambola Restaurant.

The top local players will be matched against their English counterparts in a limited-overs game for the Virgin Atlantic Challenge Trophy. The match is scheduled for Kensington Oval on November 16 at 11 a.m.

The most successful overall team in the league event will receive the Blade Pro-Am Festival Trophy, while the most outstanding player takes home the Bajan Man-Of-The-Series Trophy along with a cash award compliments of Caribbean Home.

The other matches in the opening round are Life of Barbados against Old Brigand & Silver Springs XI at Queen's Park, and Combined Schools against Pizzaz BCL.