Yorkshire Dominates England Squad Selection for U-15 World Cricket Challenge Squad

England player Michael Vaughan took time out from his busy summer schedule to meet the six young players from the Yorkshire region who have been selected to represent England in the Costcutter U-15 World Cricket Challenge 2000.

Nearly half of the up-and-coming cricketing stars named for the 14-strong squad come from the Yorkshire region and the line-up is completed by two players from Nottinghamshire, two from Glamorgan and one each from Essex, Lancashire, Northamptonshire and Somerset.

Tom New, from Sutton-in-Ashfield in Nottinghamshire, has been named Captain. With six years of cricket experience behind him, the left-handed batsman and wicket-keeper will lead his team in a bid for the new Costcutter trophy.

The 14-strong squad was reduced down from 24 following a training session held at Bisham Abbey and Eton College in early June. A number of national coaches, including the U-15 national coach, Paul Farbrace, kept a vigilant eye on the young players throughout the four-days of training and, after great deliberation, the final line-up was chosen.

"It was a very tough decision to make as all the boys showed great potential during the two training sessions we've held over the past couple of months," said Farbrace.

"We have chosen a talented all-round squad for the Costcutter U-15 World Cricket Challenge and strongly believe the high levels of skill already evident amongst the players can be refined and nurtured over the next few weeks to produce a team capable of lifting the world trophy".

England will line up alongside India, Pakistan, South Africa, West Indies, Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka and Holland at Lord's on Saturday, July 29 for the Opening Ceremony of the Costcutter U-15 World Cricket Challenge.

Two league groups will play at Eton and Wellington Colleges, with the semi-finals being held at Chelmsford (home of Essex CCC) and Hove (Sussex CCC) on August 5 and 8 respectively. The final will be played at Lord's on Thursday, August 10 and will be televised live on Sky Sports.

The tournament will be run by the ECB under the auspices of the ICC. Matches will be 50 overs per side and played to ICC regulations. The inaugural U-15 World Cricket Challenge took place in 1996 when a crowd of over 10,000 spectators watched India beat Pakistan in the final at Lord's.

"We are really excited about the way the tournament is shaping up," said Ken Lake, Tournament Director and General Secretary of the English School's Cricket Association. "With the high standard of the teams being fielded by each participating nation, we feel confident it will be a great showcase for youth cricket."

Tournament sponsor Costcutter Supermarkets Group has been operating in the convenience store sector of the grocery industry for 14 years and now manages over 900 independent retail outlets in the UK.