A PARTY of 14 young cricketers from Huntingdonshire are preparing to fly out to South Africa for a 12-day tour. It will be the 10th tour undertaken by Huntingdon Cricket 2000, a volunteer-run organisation that gives young cricketers the chance to further

A PARTY of 14 young cricketers from Huntingdonshire are preparing to fly out to South Africa for a 12-day tour.

It will be the 10th tour undertaken by Huntingdon Cricket 2000, a volunteer-run organisation that gives young cricketers the chance to further their cricketing experience.

The squad is made up of local players aged 17-19 from across the district, all of whom have represented Hunts at county level. Many also play at senior level for their respective clubs, some in the East Anglian Premier League.

Previous tours have visited Sri Lanka, Kenya, Barbados, Antigua, while the first tour and three subsequent ones visited Zimbabwe.

The tour will be led by Ian Cousins, who will be assisted by coach David Ash, umpire Evan Warren and first aider Denise Warren.

The team will take on five of the top schools in the Cape Town area and will receive a tour of the district on their trip, which begins on October 17.

Cousins said: "I am confident that these excellent young cricketers will represent Huntingdonshire superbly on tour."

The touring party is: Tom Beale, Ryan Withers (St Ives CC), Wayne Bradley, James Cowan, Iain Housden, Simon Rose (Godmanchester CC), Michael Cafferkey, Mark Edwards, James Markland (Ramsey CC), David Humphrey (Eaton Socon CC), Charlie Kearns (Moulton Harrox CC), Matthew Matcham, Sam Matcham (Oundle Town CC), Alex Mitchell (Peterborough Town CC).