Friendly match between Yorkshire Country Club, Lahore Qalandar postponed

• YCCC announces first step on its search for cricketing talent.
• The two clubs earlier inked agreement for players development.
• Time and dates for the trials will be announced in due course.

A friendly match between Yorkshire County Cricket Club (YCCC) and Lahore Qalandar, scheduled for January 16, has been postponed owing to the ongoing COVID-19 developments globally.

“For the safety and wellness of all players, it has been decided that it is appropriate to reschedule the match to a later date, which will be confirmed in due course,” the statement issued by the club read.

It further announced the first step on its search for undiscovered cricketing talent following the recently agreed partnership between the two clubs.

It said: “In summer 2022, aspiring players over 18-years-old will be invited to demonstrate their cricketing potential during trials across the four regions of North, East, South and West Yorkshire in front of a selection panel led by the interim YCCC Managing Director Darren Gough, alongside representatives from the Qalandars coaching team.”

The club mentioned that time and dates for the trials are currently being finalised and will be announced in due course.

According to the details, the most talented players will be divided into four teams to play in a final. From these games, the best two females and best two male cricketers will be chosen for scholarships with Yorkshire County Cricket Club, including the opportunity to travel to Lahore and train at the Qalandars’ elite high-performance centre, as well as a full kit bag provided for all the winners to keep.

Speaking on the occasion, Yorkshire Cricket Interim Managing Director Darren Gough said: “I am thrilled to be able to welcome undiscovered talent to Headingley. Across Yorkshire, and the UK, there are so many amateur clubs with fantastic standards of cricket, and I am passionate about making sure talented players from all backgrounds are given the chance to access better facilities, develop their skills, and train with some of the best players in the world.”

Meanwhile, Lahore Qalandars Chief Operating Officer Sameen Rana said: “We are delighted to have built a partnership with Yorkshire County Cricket Club. Our player development programme has been an essential tool to discovering new talent in Pakistan and opening up the sport to those who previously felt unable to access it, and we are looking forward to sharing our learnings as the partnership develops.”