Alastair Cook named in MCC squad for Abu Dhabi and Dubai

England Test captain Alastair Cook has been confirmed as part of the MCC squad for the Champion County match and Emirates T20 tournament in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

Cook made himself available for the trip in March to gain valuable match practice ahead of England’s three-Test series against the West Indies in April.

The MCC squad will arrive in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday March 17 and take part in the Emirates T20 tournament on March 20, which also features Lancashire, Sussex and Yorkshire.

The four-day Champion County match - the annual curtain raiser for the English county season - starts on Sunday March 22 and will be a day/night match between MCC and Yorkshire, played with a pink ball under the MCC Spirit of Cricket banner.

University stars included

Cook will open the batting alongside new Middlesex signing Nick Compton, who will captain the side, with England internationals Michael Carberry and Graham Onions also included in the line-up.

The squad also features three alumni from MCC Universities in Sam Billings (Loughborough), Adam Riley (Loughborough) and Zafar Ansari (Cambridge).

Billings, Riley and Surrey fast bowler Matt Dunn, who also features in the MCC squad, recently returned from England Lions duty in South Africa.

Cook will be making his seventh appearance for MCC, and his fourth in the Champion County match, having played in 2005, 2006 and 2007 when the fixture was still hosted at Lord’s.

Nepal captain Paras Khadka will also be part of the MCC side for the Emirates T20 tournament.

Youth and experience

The 27-year-old has captained his country since 2009, leading them through a number of ICC World Cricket League Divisions and eventually to last year’s ICC World Twenty20 competition in Bangladesh. In June 2014, Nepal were granted T20 International status by the ICC.

John Stephenson, MCC Head of Cricket, said: “This is certainly the strongest team we’ve ever selected for this fixture and it’s great to see a good number of MCC Universities alumni involved too.

"There’s an excellent blend of youth and experience, and I’m sure Nick Compton will lead the group expertly. Of course to have a batsman of Alastair Cook’s calibre involved shows the standing this fixture has in professional cricket and I’m delighted to have him at the top of the order.

“We are pleased to be returning to Abu Dhabi and Dubai for a sixth year as the facilities are excellent for first class cricket and have produced some very competitive matches in recent years.

"MCC has played a big part in exploring the possibilities of day/night Test cricket played with a pink ball and we are hoping to see a day/night Test between Australia and New Zealand later this year. I’m sure these matches in March will show, once again, that pink ball cricket can re-invigorate the longer form of the game.”

Squad: Alastair Cook (Essex), Nick Compton (Middlesex, capt), Michael Carberry (Hampshire), James Hildreth (Somerset), Zafar Ansari (Surrey, Cambridge MCCU), Daryl Mitchell (Worcestershire), Sam Billings (Kent, Loughborough MCCU), Matt Dunn (Surrey), Chris Rushworth (Durham), Graham Onions (Durham), Adam Riley (Kent, Loughborough MCCU), Paras Khadka* (Nepal) one more player TBC*

*Emirates T20 tournament only