Team News

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) today announced a 15-man England Under 19 squad for this winter's tour of Australia. The team will play three four-day Test Matches and five One-Day Internationals against their Australian counterparts, who earlier this year won the ICC Under 19 World Cup in New Zealand.

Bilal Shafayat will captain the youthful squad, which will feature eight 17-year old players when they depart on 31 December. Six of the players
come from Yorkshire, including the youngest member of the squad, leg-spinner Mark Lawson, who has been a regular attendee of the ECB Wrist Spin
development programme, led by Terry Jenner, and the first player from the scheme to represent England Under 19.

Paul Farbrace coaches the squad in the absence of Tim Boon, who will be on England senior One-Day team duty in Australia.

Paul Farbrace said, "It is a very young side. We have four Under 19s and 11 Under 18s, so the majority of the players will be available to play against South Africa next summer and also in the next ICC Under 19 World Cup in January-February 2004. Seven players have played First Class Cricket, so we will have valuable experience in the team too.

"It is a great opportunity for the Under 19s to be playing a series in Australia while the senior team is competing for the Ashes. Added incentive
for them is the fact that three of our Under 19 players from this summer - Kyle Hogg, Gordon Muchall and Graham Wagg - have been selected in the National Academy squad so the current Under 19 players can see a clear pathway forward for their burgeoning careers."

England Under 19 squad

Ravinda Bopara Essex
Tim Bresnan Yorkshire
Dan Broadbent Yorkshire
Simon Cusden Kent
Neil Edwards Somerset
Andrew Gale Yorkshire
Andrew Hodd (wk) Sussex
Mark Lawson Yorkshire
Samit Patel Nottinghamshire
James Pearson Gloucestershire
Liam Plunkett Durham
Bilal Shafayat (capt) Nottinghamshire
David Stiff Yorkshire
Nick Thornicroft Yorkshire
Luke Wright Leicestershire

Paul Farbrace Coach
Graham Saville Manager
Kirk Russell Physiotherapist


England Under 19, Australia tour itinerary

December 2002
Tuesday 31 Squad departs England

January 2003
Thursday 2 Arrival in Adelaide,
Saturday 4 One-Day Match (tbc), Adelaide
Sunday 5 One-Day Match (tbc), Adelaide
Monday 6 - Wednesday 8 South Australian XI, Adelaide
Sunday 12 - Wednesday 15 1st Test Match v Australia U19,
Adelaide
Friday 17 ECB National Academy
Saturday 18 1st ODI v Australia U19, Adelaide
Tuesday 21 - Thursday 23 Victoria Institute of Sport,
Melbourne
Sunday 26 2nd ODI v Australia U19, Melbourne
Tuesday 28 - Friday 31 2nd Test Match v Australia U19, Melbourne

February 2003
Monday 3 - Thursday 6 3rd Test Match v Australia U19, Sydney
Saturday 8 3rd ODI v Australia U19, Sydney
Sunday 9 4th ODI v Australia U19, Sydney
Tuesday 11 5th ODI v Australia U19, Sydney
Thursday 13 Depart Australia
Friday 14 Arrive London

ANTHONY McGRATH and Gary Fellows kept Yorkshire�s season alive at Essex yesterday after securing the Tykes a place in the semi-finals of the
Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy. McGrath and Fellows shared a decisive sixth-wicket stand of 128 to ensure Yorkshire finished level pegging with Essex�s score of 283 and clinched a
thrilling last-over victory by virtue of fewer wickets lost.It was a tremendous display from the duo, who defied the critics when they came together with Yorkshire needing seven an over from their final 18 overs.The pairing dug deep and showed grit and determination to guide Yorkshire to what could prove to be a priceless victory in what has so far been a depressing season.McGrath and Fellows both scored high-quality half-centuries and worked the Essex field to perfection. McGrath played some tremendous shots square of the wicket while the classy Fellows drove the ball well.McGrath took just 44 balls to reach his 50 while Fellows smashed a huge
straight six to clock up his half-century off the same number of deliveries.After being down and out at one stage, Yorkshire needed to show great
character and victory was finally secured off the penultimate delivery of the game.It was an amazing fightback because all looked lost when Michael Vaughan was controversially given out caught behind off Graham Napier after making a
valuable 42.Vaughan had batted well, showing great composure, but his dubious dismissal
left Yorkshire reeling on 155-5 and victory looked like a formality for in-form Essex.But it was not all down to the batsmen, with Yorkshire bowling and fielding well despite Essex racking up a more than challenging total from their 50
overs.Essex recovered well from the early loss of Nasser Hussain, Matthew Hoggard deservedly dismissing the England captain after Richard Dawson clung on to a catch at point despite clashing with Darren Gough.Darren Robinson and Jon Dakin took up the challenge with relish and shared the first of three half-century stands before a brilliant piece of fielding
from Vaughan accounted for Dakin.Robinson, who took 61 balls to reach a belligerent 50, was next to go when he presented Chris Silverwood with a return catch, but Andy Flower and Ronnie
Irani kept the score ticking along at a fair rate.Irani hit 32 off 31 deliveries before falling victim to a superb inswinging
yorker from Gough, while Flower played some excellent shots on his way to 75 before edging a quicker ball from Craig White.The wicket was no more than White deserved and the discarded England
all-rounder demonstrated his qualities with a fine second spell of bowling that conceded just 23 runs in six overs.White was the pick of the Yorkshire attack, but skipper Darren Lehmann also
bowled tightly while Gough, Silverwood and Hoggard all caused problems.Yorkshire�s pressure paid dividends in the last eight overs as, following Flower�s dismissal, Essex tumbled from 246-5 to 283-9 at the close.In reply, White hammered a couple of lusty blows before lofting a routine chance to Aftab Habib and Yorkshire were struggling on 12-1.Silverwood and Matthew Wood steadied the ship, the former playing some great
shots in making 37, but Yorkshire lost wickets at regular intervals and struggled to make early headway.Former Yorkshire star James Middlebrook rubbed salt in the wound when Lehmann got himself in a tangle and played on, and at 120-4 the game appeared to be drifting away from the Tykes.Vaughan soon followed after a shocking decision, but Essex had not banked on
the determination of McGrath and Fellows and the duo displayed great courage in turning the game around.They say that one swallow does not make a summer, but Yorkshire could not have picked a better time to prove they really do have the character needed to win tough matches again.

By Paul Dews,
For more Yorkshire Cricket news see the Yorkshire Evening Post each week night

YORKSHIRE hero Anthony McGrath today dedicated his side�s thrilling C&G; Trophy quarter-final victory to coach Wayne Clark and captain Darren
Lehmann.McGrath top-scored with a tremendous 72 as Yorkshire beat Essex by virtue of fewer wickets lost in pursuit of an Essex total of 283-9.�We�ve had a terrible season and I�m delighted for the coach and the captain,� said McGrath. �They�ve had their wars this season and I�m really pleased we won it for them.�McGrath has struggled for form this term, but he played the leading role in a sixth-wicket stand of 128 with all-rounder Gary Fellows.There was an element of confusion ahead of the final delivery, with the scores level, when Essex skipper Ronnie Irani and the Yorkshire batsmen sought confirmation of the rules. �The rules keep changing and we weren�t totally sure,� said McGrath. �I thought at first we�d messed up and in the end it was a bit of anti-climax winning the way we did.�McGrath and Fellows came together when Yorkshire were reeling on 155-5, but
the duo showed great courage in turning things around.�It was a tough time to go in,� added Fellows. �We set ourselves a target for the last 18 overs and in the end we�re delighted that things came together and we got the win.�Yorkshire will discover their semi-final opponents tonight.

A superb all-round display by Craig White helped Yorkshire Phoenix cruise to a comfortable 135-run victory against Somerset Sabres in the Norwich Union League Division One at Scarborough.The England international smashed a rapid 64 before ripping through Somerset's middle order and taking five wickets as Somerset collapsed in
dramatic fashion.
White finished with figures of 5-19 as Somerset were shot out for just 148 in reply to Yorkshire's 283-9.
Anthony McGrath also hit a half-century for the Phoenix while Darren Lehmann (32), Michael Lumb (35) and Gary Fellows (25) all made useful contributions.
Former Yorkshire star Paul Jarvis also made a surprise return in front of a healthy Scarborough crowd when he came out of retirement to help ease
Somerset's bowling worries.
Jarvis claimed the wickets of Fellows and Richard Dawson, but went for 52 in eight overs.
The victory keeps Yorkshire in touch of the leading pack.