University Cricket Round Up

This weekend promises to be an exciting and busy time for University cricketers. Saturday sees the rearranged British Universities Championship Semi Final between Oxford and Durham universities. The victorious team will then travel to Cambridge to meet Loughborough University on Monday at Fenner's, to determine this year's British Universities Championship title. Sandwiched between these Championship fixtures, the British Universities side will battle it out in a tough match against New Zealand 'A' side on Sunday 11th June.

Due to a washed out Stockton CC pitch and Oxford's 1st class commitments against Northants, Oxford and Durham will battle for a place in the British Universities Men's Championship Final this Saturday. Durham are the long-standing Champions and are confident that their side will perform well despite Oxford's home ground advantage. Play commences at 11am, at the Parkes (Oxford).

The winner of Saturday's match will meet Loughborough at Fenner's, Cambridge on Monday 12 June. Loughborough defeated Exeter on Monday at Dean Park, Bournemouth with superb bowling performances from Mark Tournier 10-4-13-3 and Michael Dobson 10-2-26-3. Achieving the winning runs in 43.5 overs was Loughborough's Dan Furnival.

In the Women's Championship, Durham University will take on the defending champions UWIC. Durham defeated Oxford by 6 wickets for their place in the final, while UWIC beat last year's finalist Loughborough by 79 runs.

Should Durham win the Women's Final at The Parks and the Men's Final at Fenner's on Monday, their 2nd team will be under pressure to make it a hat-trick with their Final against Exeter at Abbeydale Park, Sheffield, on Wednesday 14 June. The 2nds have been undefeated this season and will be confident to retain their Championship title.

In the lower competitions in St Mary's are attempting a double Shield win for the Men's 1st and Women's teams. As last year's Plate winners, the Men's team are hoping to win the Shield final when they take on either UW Swansea or Staffordshire Stoke on Wednesday 14 June 2000. Majority of the 1999 team have return and the side has been strengthen by British Universities squad bowler, Tim Murtagh

St Mary's women's team obtained their place in the Shield final against York, by defeating Bath by 46 runs with Helen Mills achieving 60 and bowling 5-0-16-2.

Should you require further information on the:
British Universities team
contact Jim Ellis - 0207 357 8555 or 0411 432 303

British Universities Halifax Cricket Competition
contact Tania Jobling - 0207 357 8555 or 0802 924 347