Varsulkar included amongst Europe's finest in major achievement for Israeli cricket

ICC Europe has announced the names of 14 of Europe's finest young talents who will travel to India in February to take part in the ICC European Cricket Academy 2008. Solomon Varsulkar is the first Israeli to be selected for the prestigious squad, with the 20-year old left arm spinner rewarded for astonishing performances in European youth tournaments.

The academy will be held out of Europe for the first time, as it relocates to the Cricket Club of India in Mumbai. The previous five academies have been held at Europe-based venues including Loughborough in England and more recently the excellent venue of La Manga Resort in Spain, and despite the tremendous success of these academies, a decision has been taken to further the player's education by a move to the sub-continent for the 2008 event .

The academy will be organised through the Mumbai-based Global Cricket School which has an extremely talented team of coaches in place, the majority of whom have worked with Indian national teams at junior and senior level. In addition to this, the European players will be accompanied by a highly qualified ICC Europe coaching team led by the ICC Regional Development Officer Philip Hudson. The team includes ECB's Head of Elite Coach Development Gordon Lord, former Ireland coach Adrian Birrell and Stuart Barnes, Assistant Coach Gloucestershire CCC .

The academy will take place from 24 February to 5 March and the programme will consist of five days of practice and three matches against a variety of opposition including an U-19 state side. The matches will take the form of one two-day and two one-day matches.

"We have decided to move this year's academy to India to further develop the player's skills in a tough environment that will test all involved," said Hudson.

"Holding the academy on the sub-continent will allow all players the opportunity to develop their game on different surfaces and in different conditions to what they have become accustomed to," he said.

"All of these young cricketers have the potential to play for their national teams in the near future and with many of our Associate and Affiliate sides participating more frequently on the international stage, it is essential that they learn to play on different types of surfaces."

The 14 participants, all aged between 18 and 22, come from six of Europe's 27 ICC Member countries - Gibraltar, Guernsey, Ireland, Israel, the Netherlands and Scotland. ICC Europe is funding places on the academy for 13 cricketers and an additional place has been made available, thanks to the support of the Global Cricket Academy, taking the total up to 14.

Varsulkar is the first Israeli to be selected to take part in an ICC academy. He has been selected for the event after producing phenomenal bowling performances for his country, including overall figures of 15-120 and 11-60 at the 2005 and 2007 ICC European U/19 Championships.

Varsulkar, who was born in India but made aliya at age four, has been involved with Israel's youth programme almost since it's inception seven years ago. Growing up in the Negev desert town of Yeruham, his success is the direct result of the efforts of youth coach George Sheader who has toiled away in the hot desert sun investing all his energy in players like Solomon and many others who have performed so admirably for Israel in youth tournaments in recent years.

Varsulkar, who now plays for Dimona A in the domestic league having played for the Negev Academy up until completing his schooling, has the rare talent of extracting prodigious turn from almost any surface.

Commenting on what he hopes to gain from the opportunity Solomon said: "I know that there is still so much I need to learn about spin bowling and where better to learn than in India? Having lived in Israel since I was a small child it would be a dream to go back to my roots and play on famous grounds in Mumbai."

Solomon will not be the first Israeli youngster to step on to the hallowed turf of the Cricket Club of India as earlier this year an Israel youth team had the opportunity of being hosted in Mumbai and staying at the Club.

Also on the list are four Irish players, all of whom played for their country in the 2006 ICC U/19 Cricket World Cup in Sri Lanka. The four are former MCC young cricketer Gary Kidd, full-time professional Gary Wilson who has recently signed a contract with Surrey, promising wicketkeeper-batsman Fintan McAllister and a graduate of the Middlesex academy, Andrew Poynter.

The selection includes three Scottish players, Richard Berrington, Andrew Hislop, who also all played in the 2006 U/19 CWC, and Scott Redhead.

Three players will also travel to the academy from the Netherlands. Bob Entrop, Timothy Gruijters and Maurits Jonkman have all performed for their country in ICC European Championships at all age groups up to under-23 and now aspire to play for their full national side with the ultimate goal of gaining professional county contracts. In doing so they will follow in the footsteps of Alexei Kervezee who is himself a graduate of the 2005 ICC European Academy and went on to sign a contract with Worcestershire CCC and compete for the Netherlands in the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup.

Guernsey players Kris Moherndl and Blane Queripel, and 18 year old Kieron Ferrary of Gibraltar, whom have all competed in their countries national sides, are the final three Europeans to make up the 14.

The European Academy Squad 2008:

Kieron Ferrary - Gibraltar
Blane Queripel - Guernsey
Kris Moherndl - Guernsey
Gary Kidd - Ireland
Fintan McAllister - Ireland
Andrew Poynter - Ireland
Gary Wilson - Ireland
Solomon Varsulkar - Israel
Bob Entrop - Netherlands
Timothy Gruijters - Netherlands
Maurits Jonkman - Netherlands
Richard Berrington - Scotland
Andrew Hislop - Scotland
Scott Redhead - Scotland