NUSC-CC Elite Media Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Ireland unveil their ‘brightest prospects’ for Hilton Newcastle Gateshead Festival 7 June 2010

In a surprise development Ireland’s Leinster CDO Brian O’Rourke announced his tour party for the Hilton Newcastle Gateshead Festival of Cricket 2010 over three weeks early.

Once again his 14 man squad will enjoy the 5 star luxury of the Hilton Newcastle Gateshead Hotel as their base for the festival. For the 6 th year Nigel Pyne will be Brian’s manager but unlike recent years this group travels with expectation firmly on their shoulders to bring the festival trophies back to Dublin such is the quality named. The is the Sebastian Vettel look a like Ryan Hopkins who will hope to repeat his personal form of 2009 for that success to happen. His sensational century against Scotland which he describes himself as “my proudest achievement” saw Leinster beat Scotland’s National U19s Academy with cover-point in Ireland subsequently installing Ryan as one of their “six to watch in 2010”.

It has not gone unnoticed to the festival organizers that other members of Cover-Points watch list in Cormac McLoughan, Barry McCarthy, Hugh McDonnell, Conor Sheil and Dhruv Kapoor are also named in the festival squad. Their inclusion along with many of Leinster’s famous Wolverhampton tour winning party left them to be classified by their own cricket board as “containing some of the brightest prospects in Irish cricket” allied to arriving 24 hours early to practice and preparation work ensures the only one conclusion that Hopkins men start as festival favourites.

Festival organizer John D Holland was delighted to be welcoming such a fine squad in 2010 commenting- “ Brian friendship makes the Hilton Newcastle Gateshead festival the annual tour future greats of Irish cricket take. We aim to defy the odds and produce a festival which not only challenges his group of stars but allows them to enjoy their time in the North East”.

Mr Holland also added that the tourists come with a heavy burden of expectation considering what their contribution to the festival history is- “ Reading through the names of past tourists you get a sense of just how talented the teams have been and why nothing less than excellence is expected from the 2010 squad. Last year we had a relatively unheard of young left arm spinner who went about his business very efficiently, quietly and gentlemanly finishing top taker (11 ) and securing the ‘Player of the Tournament’. Six months later that young left arm spinner is arguably the hottest prospect around his name George Dockrell. No doubt someone in the 2010 tour party is just a good week away from following George and it is going to be fascinating seeing who”

Cricket Scotland are expected to name his tour party at the start of June while NUSC will be naming a provisional squad in the next 7 days but the gauntlet has been well and truly thrown down by Ireland.

For more information on the festival log onto www.nusc-ccelite.play-cricket.com or to read more on the Ireland tour party log onto cover-point website www.cover-point.com

Hilton Newcastle Gateshead Festival of Squad

Ryan Hopkins (Pembroke) (Capt.) Barry McCarthy (Pembroke) Hugh MacDonnell (Leinster) Jordan Coghlan (Clontarf) Adam Coughlan (Malahide) Dhruv Kapoor (Railway Union) Hugo Mays (Pembroke) Tyrone Kane (Merrion) Cormac McLoughlin (North County) Robbert Forrest (Clontarf) Jono Andrews (North County) Ryan Sheady (Malahide)

Brian O’Rourke (Coach) Nigel Pyne (Manager)

NUSC-CC Elite Media Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Hilton Newcastle Gateshead Festival of Cricket

Monday 21 June 2010 NUSC v Scotland 1200 Pro40 Ireland Private Training Session, Durham Ireland Community Coaching Evening, Durham

Tuesday 22 June 2010 Scotland v Ireland 1100 Pro40 NUSC Private Training Session, Durham

Wednesday 23 June NUSC v Ireland 1100 Pro40 Scotland Training Session (Emirates Durham International Cricket Ground) Ireland Community Coaching Evening, Gateshead

Thursday 24 June NUSC v Ireland 1030 T20 Thursday 24 June NUSC v Scotland 1430 T20 Thursday 24 June Scotland v Ireland 1730 T20

All matches to be played to ICC U19 World Cup Regulations (shortened to Pro40) and ICC T20 World Cup Regulations.

Festival kindly hosted by Swalwell Cricket Club, Gateshead, Newcastle Upon Tyne

Festival Title Sponsors Hilton Newcastle Gateshead

Festival Commercial Partner Kookaburra-Reader Ltd

Festival Officials in association with Ellwoods