Melbourne UCC in maiden cricket tour of Sri Lanka

The Melbourne University Cricket Club (MUCC) from Victoria, Australia is currently on their maiden cricket tour of Sri Lanka. MUCC, founded in 1856 and one of the oldest cricket clubs in Australia, fields four teams in the Victorian Premier competition.

The 18 member squad includes nine current first XI players. Hugh Van Cuylenburg and Brett Murphy are the co-captains on tour while 1st XI skipper, Jarrod Leggett will function as player/coach.

The itinerary consists of 5 one day games and a T20 to be played in Galle, Kurunegala, Dambulla, Kandy and Colombo.

Two of the opponents will be the Colombo and Kandy University teams who will be strengthened with the inclusion of a few under 23 invitation players.

It poses a tough challenge for the Aussie team playing against strong opposition in warm conditions in their off-season.

During one of their rest days, the team will be visiting the St. Anthony’s Boys home in Hewadiwela (near Kegalle) which is run by the Kathleen Keegel Children’s Fund based in Australia.

The tour has been organised by former Peterite cricketer of the early eighties and now Melbourne resident, Mario Roshitha Perera.

The tour squad is as follows:

Hugh Van Cuylenburg (Co-Captain), Brett Murphy (Co-Captain), Jarrod Leggett (Coach), Mark Simpson, Elias Karageorgiou, Jarrod Martignago, Chris Grant, Greg Kennedy, Mark Stafford, Andrew Thomas, Eben Martin, Sam Skinner, Stephen Carlile, Ahilan Sivakumaran, James Morley, Blake Pappas, Josh Van Cuylenburg and Tom Porkinghorne.

The remaining fixtures:

July 7 - vs Kurunegala District Combined at Welegedera Stadium, Kurunegala (T20)
July 8 - vs North Central Province at Rangiri Dambulla Stadium
July 11 - vs Kandy University at Katugastota
July 13 - vs Colombo University at Thurstan College grounds.