The Yorkshire County Cricket Club (YCCC) together with Lahore Qalandars from the Pakistan Super League (PSL) are set to launch an open trial opportunity to unearth undiscovered cricketing talent across the UK.
The open trials aim to attract aspiring amateur players to demonstrate their cricketing skills in front of a selection panel led by YCCC’s Director off Cricket Darren Gough alongside representatives from the Yorkshire Cricket coaching team on Sunday, 1 October at Yorkshire’s revamped Park Avenue Bradford Cricket Ground, starting from 10am.
Open to women and men over the age of 18, the cricketers who demonstrate the most potential on the trial day will be rewarded with the opportunity to travel to Lahore and train at the state-of-the-art Qalandars high-performance centre (QHPC).
Pictured, a Yorkshire Cricket Pathway session taking place at Park Avenue Bradford Cricket Ground in 2023.
Here they will get to play and learn at QHPC’s world-class facilities with the additional opportunity to learn from the Pakistan Super League 2024 (PSL 9) which kicks-off in February 2024.
The innovative approach to trials forms part of a longer-term vision and partnership between Yorkshire Cricket and the Lahore Qalandars which sets out to address traditional socioeconomic barriers to the sport and enabling them to play cricket at the highest level.
The initiative takes inspiration from the Qalandars’ world-famous Players Development Program (PDP) which has engaged over half a million young people across Pakistan since its launch 2019.
Pictured Darren Gough, Managing Director of Cricket at YCCC.
Darren Gough, Managing Director of Cricket at YCCC, said: “I am thrilled to be able to encourage and welcome undiscovered talent to Park Avenue Bradford Cricket Ground.
“Our inspiration is taken from the partnership we have with Lahore Qalandars and is an exciting moment as we continue to look to the future with The Yorkshire County Cricket Club and continue on our journey to make it a Club that is accessible to all.
“Those who may have missed out on the traditional pathway programmes in the UK will now have the opportunity to showcase their talent.”
Sameen Rana, the Chief Operating Officer (COO) and owner of Lahore Qalandars, said: “We are delighted to have built a strong partnership with The Yorkshire County Cricket Club.
“Lahore Qalandars is committed to providing the best resources to the talented players across the globe. Our Player Development Programme has been an essential tool for us to discover new talent in Pakistan and opening up the sport to those who previously have not been able to access it. We look forward to working with The Yorkshire County Cricket Club in doing the same in UK.”
Entrants must not be on a professional cricketing contract, and should be 18 years old or over.
