The University of Leeds is one of six national Cricket Centres of Excellence, supported by the MCC through the UCCE programme.
Established in 2001, UCCEs are cricket academies which allow young aspiring cricketers to receive an unrivalled level of training and match-play whilst still furthering their education. They provide a pathway into 1st class county cricket and ultimately England with around a fifth of all English qualified players having been part of an UCCE centre of excellence.
Leeds Bradford Men’s UCCE Programme
The men’s programme has been dominant over the past number of seasons with success in both red ball and white ball cricket. This has culminated in five trips to play at Lords. A number of players have gone from the Leeds Bradford UCCE programme to represent England on the world class stage. The team is coached by University of Leeds Director of Cricket Andrew Lawson. Andrew is a ECB Level 4 Coach, Ex-First Class cricketer, former Head Coach North West Provincial team in South Africa and former Assistant Coach to Scotland and Holland National teams.
UCCE players compete for five major trophies each year: The BUCS Premier Final and Trophy, The UCCE Challenge Final, The UCCE T-20 and The UCCE two day Championship. A number of players also play for county teams, for those that don’t, the UCCEs form a combined XI and compete in the second XI county championship.
Leeds Bradford Ladies UCCE Programme
Formed in 2015/16 the ladies programme is managed by head coach Rick Holland who has over 17 years of experience in coaching and having played at Sussex Academy Level. The players have a full schedule of winter training including full strength and conditioning, with specialist coaching from Paul Hutchison (ex Yorks and England fast bowler) and Richard Robinson. The UCCE programme has close links with the Yorkshire Diamonds where a current University student and alumni currently play for them, Anna Nicholls and Alice Davidson-Richards.
Cricketing Success
Leeds-Bradford UCCE has produced a number of success stories since it was first established.
International Players
Harry Gurney – England One Day Internationals T20. ODI Debut 2014 vs Scotland and T20 Debut 2014 vs Sri Lanka
Toby Roland-Jones – England Test Debut 2017 vs South Africa
Ross Whitely – England Lions
Nick Gubbins – England Lions
Kathryn Leng – England Ladies
Lauren Griffith – England Ladies
Kate Cross – England Ladies
Phil Eaglestone – Ireland
Chris Dougherty – Ireland
William Porterfield – Ireland
Brad Kruger – Holland
Craig Wallace – Scotland
Abhishek Paradkar – USA
County Players
Ish Darwood
Steve Patterson – Yorkshire
W. Porterfield – Gloucestershire, Nottinghamshire
Harry Gurney – Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire
Toby Roland-Jones – Middlesex
Chris ElstubR. Whiteley – Derbyshire, Worcestershire
A. Blake – Kent
T. Craddock – Essex
D. Hodgson – Yorkshire
B. Slater – Derbyshire
M.Higginbottom – Derbyshire
I. Thomas – Kent
J. Leach – Worcestershire
L. Reece – Lancashire, Derbyshire
J. Webb – Warwickshire
N. Gubbins – Middlesex
B. Root – Nottinghamshire
G. Scott – Middlesex
M. Ashraf – Yorkshire, Northamptonshire
M. Anderssen
Alice Davidson-Richards – Yorkshire
Anna Nichols – Yorkshire
Kate Cross – Lancashire
Elise Good – Durham
Phoebe Austin – Cheshire
Nat Lyons – Cheshire
Jenny Peel – Leicestershire
Una Paramjothy – Leicestershire
Gaby McKeever – Cheshire
Sophie Bendon – Northants
Caitlin Byrne – Durham
Jordan Thompson – Yorkshire
Harry Duke – Yorkshire
Josh de Caires – Middlesex
Taylor Cornall – Worcestershire
Alex Blake – Oval Invincibles
Ross Whitely – Southern Brave
Luis Reece – London Spirit
Jordan Thompson – Northern Superchargers
Kate Cross- Manchester Originals
Alice Davidson- Richards – Northern Superchargers
Ami Campbell – Northern Superchargers
Find out more about the UCCE programme on the men’s webpage and women’s webpage.
If you have any questions then please contact our head coaches;
- Andrew Lawson (Men’s UCCE): A.G.Lawson@leeds.ac.uk
- Rick Holland (Women’s UCCE): rickjohnholl@hotmail.com