* Please note: Start may be delayed due to rain.

The Twenty20 World Cup may be in full swing at Lord’s, but Fenner’s today plays host to one of the most hotly contested cricket matches around.

At 3pm this afternoon, Cambridge take on Oxford in the second meeting of the sides in the Twenty20 format, following the Light Blues’ Varsity victory in 2008.

Cambridge beat Oxford by 29 runs last year in this most explosive form of the game - and will be hoping for an equally impressive victory this afternoon.

Coach Chris Scott said: “A lot of very hard work has gone in over the winter to prepare for matches like this, and I'm sure the guys will not disappoint.

“There's a number of very talented cricketers in our squad, and this is a great opportunity for them to show what they can do when it really matters.”

Meanwhile, captain Akbar Ansari is very much looking forward to 3pm.

He said: “'It is a great honour for me to leading the team out in this Varsity match and to be captain of such an historic club as CUCC. I'm sure I speak for everyone in the squad when I say that we can't wait for 3pm today, and that all the support you can give will be much appreciated!”

Today’s match is thought to be the first time a Varsity match has been in held in term time in Cambridge for decades.

Cambridge’s squad for the Twenty20 match is as follows: Akbar Ansari (captain, Trinity Hall), Scott MacLennan (vice-captain, St John's), Ananya Sen (St Edmund's), Ruel Brathwaite (Queens'), Anand Ashok (Queens'), Phil Ashton (Queens'), James Greenwood (Hughes Hall), Thomas Probert (Peterhouse), Matt Cook (Girton), Ed Pearson (Robinson), Frankie Brown (Jesus), Chris Grammer (Homerton).

However, today’s play, which begins at 11.30am with the Inter-collegiate final between Caius (holders) and Jesus, is not the only entry in the Fenner’s fixture list this week.

Thursday sees the arrival of County Championship side Essex for a three-day, first-class match.

And although the county may bring a side comprised more of its up-and-coming talents, the Essex squad usually boast the talents of England players Alistair Cook, James Foster, Ravi Bopara and Graham Napier.
However, with Foster, Bopara and Napier all on England duty, Essex could still have Pakistan’s Danesh Kaneria available, as well as the Netherlands’ Ryan ten Doeschate.

Tickets for today’s Twenty20 match are available at the ground.

 

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Licence. If you use this content on your site please link back to this page.