MCC Bahrain tour begins

Awali Cricket Club (ACC), the oldest cricket club in the region founded in 1935, is celebrating its 80th anniversary with the world’s oldest cricket club, Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) from England founded in 1787 playing four matches in Bahrain from today until Saturday.

MCC the world’s most active cricket club are owners of Lord’s Cricket Ground in London and recognised as the soul authority and guardian of the Laws of the game since its foundation.

The matches all to be played at the Awali Oval will be played under the patronage of Bapco CEO, Peter Bartlett and the Cricket Bahrain Association (CBA) and include an awards presentation ceremony at the Bapco Club on Saturday.

Awali Cricket Club President Raman Rao invites all cricket lovers to attend the matches, with the first being today with MCC taking on Bahrain Under-25 in a 40 overs match at 9am.

Tomorrow the MCC will conduct a coaching clinic with 60 Bahrain children at the Alba Club Cricket Academy from 5pm onwards, followed by a prize presentation for the CBA Under-16 Inter-School Tournament.

Further matches are a three-way T20 Triangular Tournament on Friday featuring the MCC along with Cricket Bahrain Association and Bahrain Cricket League select teams starting at 6.30am and on Saturday the MCC play the Awali All Stars in a 40-over match starting 9am.

CBA President Saleem Elias congratulated Awali Club on its 80th year and thanked the MCC for visiting Bahrain.

John Stephenson MCC Head of Cricket said: “MCC has an excellent working relationship with both Oman and Bahrain and I am sure this tour will be a great success and will further strengthen the links between us.”

MCC managed by Ed McKenna are on a 12-day tour of Oman and Bahrain and led by former Queensland batsman Clinton Perren and also includesWarwickshire’s Oliver Hannon-Dalby, Derbyshire’s Shiv Thakor and Minor Counties players Grieg Hofbauer from Bedfordshire and Michael Payne of Buckinghamshire.