- South Dartmoor back to winning ways in cups
- Tom Allin tournament raised more than £5,000 for air ambulance
- Taverners kit bag delivered to Sri Lankan youngsters
- Devon trying to contact the class of 56
- Paceman Tshepo running in Virgin London Marathon
- Five Devon women in Western Storm squad for Kia Super League
- Registration night for all ages at Topsham on Monday
- Lots pouring in for auction at Allin Memorial tournament
- Thames Valley Gentlemen Cricket Club
- Bradninch add Argentinian flavour to Devon League
- Ipplepen youth registration night on Friday
- Final call for Groundsmans first seminar this year
- Devon League official tackling London Marathon for charity
- Bovey on familiar territory in Aaron Printers Cup
- Brockman Cup - Cup Kings lie in wait for holders
- Shepherd Trust helps Kingsbridge build for sustainable future
- DCL - Umpire Appointments 2016 (May 7th - July 2nd)
- Long standing records beaten
- North Devon see off Paignton chase
BARTON cricketer Andy Hele is due to arrive in Cyrpus today with an MCC touring party.
Hele, 43, has been selected to represent MCC during a ten-day trip to Limassol
It is the fourth and penultimate overseas tour for MCC in 2013, and comprises three 50-over matches alongside two Twenty20 fixtures against a mix of opposition, including a clash against the Cypriot national side on Saturday.
Hele (left) forms part of a fifteen-man MCC touring party, which will be captained by Matthew Root – father of England opening batsman, Joe Root.
Hele is one of the most experienced players in the touring party. At club level he has captained Barton, Torquay, South Devon and Cockington. He also played for Braunton, Exmouth and Shifnal in the Birmingham League.
Devon picked the hard-hitting batter and wicketkeeper 28 times in the Minor Counties Championship between 1997 and 2001.He played in 26 one-day games for Devon, including the 2001 Minor Counties KO Cup final against Norfolk at Lord’s.
The rest of the MCC squad is comprised of MCC playing members from across the country.
MCC have embarked on one previous tour to Cyprus, six years ago in October 2007. On that occasion MCC played and won three limited overs fixtures, including a four-run victory against the national team.
In that match former England captain and MCC president designate Mike Gatting struck a powerful 44 to help lead the way.
MCC send sides to many developing cricketing nations to help spread the gospel of the game.
Later this year they are sending teams to Uganda and Rwanda.
The Cyrpus tour is part of MCC’s missionary work.
“When MCC first toured Cyprus in 2007, the national side had only just made its first appearance in Division Four of the ICC European Cricket Championships,” said MCC’s head of cricket John Stephenson.
“Since then the Cyprus Cricket Association has done a wonderful job developing the game across the nation, and it is particularly encouraging to see the growth that is happening at a grassroots level.
“There appears to be a real passion for cricket in Cyprus, and I hope that MCC’s visit will help to further increase the game’s appeal there and generate further interest in the sport.
“Cyprus has been carefully identified as an area which will currently benefit from an MCC tour, and during the 10 days MCC aims to help with the on-going expansion of cricket across the nation.”
The tour programme is: September 28: Cyprus; September 29: Joint Forces XI; October 1: Cyprus; October 3: Joint Forces (T20), October 4: British Forces Cyprus.