Press Release – Thursday 13^th July 2006

Oxford University CC and EASST launch bursary scheme with award to Essex Cricketer

Young Essex cricketer Beth Wild will tonight become the first beneficiary of a new scheme aimed at attracting high potential young cricketers with high academic ability to Oxford University. She will be presented with a cheque for £2000 by Alex Stacey, sports administrator and David Thompson, fund raiser, for the Oxford University Cricket Club Foundation (OUCCF). The scheme has been set up on a national basis but local charity the Essex & Southend Sports Trust (EASST) has agreed to provide half of the funding for the bursary where the student comes from Essex.

Beth, who is part of the Essex Academy programme started her degree in geography at St Hilda’s in October 2005. She is the first female member of the Oxford MCCU Squad and recently participated in a ten day training camp at the World Cricket academy in Mumbai organized through the MCC Centre of Excellence Scheme at Oxford. She has been a member of the England National development Squad since 2002, has played for the England under 21 team and was a member of the victorious England development team at the European Championships held in Cardiff last year.

EASST chairman Peter Butler says: ‘We are delighted to be able to team up with OUCCF to help talented young Essex cricketers in this way. Providing Beth continues to meet the schemes conditions she will be a candidate for a bursary of £2,000 every year while she is studying at Oxford.’

The OUCCF is a charity with the aim of ensuring that the highest possible standard of cricket is played at Oxford University and that sufficient money is available to guarantee the long term future of cricket in the Parks. They hope to raise £1 million for this purpose over the next five years.