MCC's touring programme: next stop - Nepal
An MCC squad will leave London tomorrow morning (Saturday 15th March) to play cricket in Nepal
MCC Media Release
14-Mar-2003
An MCC squad will leave London tomorrow morning (Saturday 15th March) to play cricket in Nepal.
Travelling via Delhi, the squad will arrive in Kathmandu, Nepal, on Sunday evening. After two days of acclimatisation, practice and coaching, MCC will play its first match on Wednesday 19th March, against a Nepal Select XI.
The tour will culminate, five days later, in a 50-over match between MCC and Nepal.
MCC's party includes Iqbal Sikander (the former Pakistan player) and John Hampshire (umpire), and will be managed by Colin Maber.
In common with other MCC tours, the trip has been planned in conjunction with the International Cricket Council with the twin aims of increasing international interest in cricket and enabling the host country to assess the extent of its recent cricketing progress.
Commenting on the trip, MCC's Head of Cricket, Tony Dodemaide, said:
"MCC is delighted to have this opportunity to play and promote cricket in Nepal. We're looking forward to all four matches - including the game against Nepal's national side.
It will play an important part in developing cricket in the country.
The trip shows the range and scale of our touring programme. Indeed, only last week, an MCC squad completed a successful tour of Papua New Guinea. Tomorrow, it will start the second leg of its two-stage tour, with the first of six fixtures in Fiji".
The fixtures on the Nepal tour are:
Wednesday 19th March Nepal Select XI vs MCC Thursday 20th March Nepal U-19s vs MCC Saturday 22nd March Nepal Select XI vs MCC Monday 24th March Nepal vs MCC
All four matches will be played at the University Stadium in Tribhuvan.
The tour will include receptions hosted by the Nepalese Cricket Association and the British Embassy.
Future MCC tours will include trips to Belize (June) and Greece (September).