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MCC Foundation Hubs in Surrey

There are now a number of MCC Foundation Hubs operating across Surrey and south London! These hubs provide an outstanding opportunity for young, state-educated cricketers to access high-quality training and match play.

 

The MCC Foundation Hubs are a core initiative of the MCC Foundation (the charitable arm of Marylebone Cricket Club). They run a nationwide network of hubs, offering free-to-access training and match play to state-educated young cricketers aged 11-17.

Key Aims of the MCC Foundation Hubs:

  • Talent Development: To help promising youngsters, often engaged through mass participation activities or non-traditional formats, to develop their hard-ball skills and transition into formal cricket clubs and talent pathways.
  • Access and Equity: To reduce barriers to accessing high-quality cricket coaching, providing equity of opportunity for all young people regardless of background.
  • Holistic Impact: To have a transformational impact beyond cricket, helping participants to feel happier and more confident, and improving their focus and performance at school.
  • Broadening Participation: To expand participation and diversify the talent pool within the hardball game.

The detailed Hubs below are proudly run by experienced Surrey Cricket Foundation coaches, ensuring participants receive excellent guidance and support.

Hub Name
Venue
Dates/Time
Croydon Boys' Hub
John Fisher School, Croydon, CR8 3YP
15th January-26th March 2027 - Fridays 6-9pm
SIGN UP
Dulwich Boys' Hub
Dulwich College, SE21 7LD
3rd January-14th March 2027 - Sundays 6-9pm
SIGN UP
Dulwich Girls' Hub
Dulwich College, SE21 7LD
5th January-20th April 2027 - Tuesdays 5.45-7.45pm
SIGN UP
Esher Boys' Hub
Esher High School, Esher, KT10 8AP
9th January-20th March 2027 - Saturdays 10am-1pm
SIGN UP
Esher Girls' Hub
Esher High School, Esher, KT10 8AP
9th January-20th March 2027 - Saturdays 1-4pm
SIGN UP
Leatherhead Boys' Hub
St John's School, Leatherhead KT22 8SP
24th January-21st March 2027 - Sundays 12-3pm
SIGN UP
Leatherhead Girls' Hub
St John's School, Leatherhead KT22 8SP
24th January-21st March 2027 - Sundays 3-6pm
SIGN UP
Wimbledon Boys' Hub
Wimbledon High School, SW19 4AB
23rd January-20th March & 17th April 2027 - Saturdays 1-4pm
SIGN UP
Wimbledon Girls' Hub
Wimbledon High School, SW19 4AB
23rd January-20th March & 17th April 2027 - Saturdays 10am-1pm
SIGN UP

COMMUNITIES

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

 

BEFORE THE TRIALS/OBSERVATIONS

 

What time should my child arrive?
Try to arrive five minutes or so before the start of the session to confirm their attendance
What equipment does my child need to bring?
Suitable cricket clothing, trainers/cricket footwear, water bottle and any personal playing equipment they would normally use including a box
Does my child need full cricket whites or training kit?
Wear whatever is comfortable and sporty to move around in
What happens if we can no longer attend?
Please do let us know as we may be able to offer you a different timeslot or alternative hub
Can we switch to a different trial slot or another hub venue for the observations/trials?
If there are other venues you can look to register for them also, but there will be different coaches at each hub who will make their own decisions about the make-up of their final squads
Is there parking available at the venues?
Yes at Esher High School / Yes at St John's School (although limited and shared with other sporting users but there are also local roads) / Not at Wimbledon High School (will have to drop off outside) / Yes at Dulwich College (free parking available opposite the venue) / Yes at John Fisher School (free parking available opposite the venue) / Not at Kia Oval (best to drop off and go via the Alec Stewart gate entrance closest to Vauxhall station or use Vauxhall or Oval stations. Local buses are available)
Can parents stay and watch?
Sadly not. Please go and have some time for yourselves - grab a coffee, read a book, go for a walk

SELECTION & OUTCOMES

What are coaches looking for?
Coaches will assess players across batting, bowling and fielding activities. We are looking at all-round potential, attitude, effort, game awareness and coachability as well as technical skills
How many places are available on the programme?
Between 18-24 places per age group in the boys' U13s & U15s and girl's U14s & U17s
How long are the observation/trial sessions?
Each session shall be between 1.5/2 hours from start to finish
Is previous club or pathway experience required?
o Ideally being part of a cricket club would be ideal but not essential, having experience of playing some form of hardball cricket would be a positive. You don’t have to have had pathway experience
Are wicketkeepers assessed separately?
We will try and separate the wicketkeepers when they aren’t batting or bowling, to have more focused drill work with them during the observation phases
Will every child receive feedback?
There isn’t feedback provided in detail for players that do not make the final squads, other than to continue working on their all-round cricket
If unsuccessful, are there other opportunities available?
The general advice will be to continue working on your cricket at a local club level and look to come back again
Is there a reserve list?
We will look to have a general reserve list and should any spaces become available then we would discuss this and invite the next relevant child along – although we wouldn’t inform parents of this in the first stage

PROGRAMME COMMITMENT

What are the dates and times of the programme?
Various dates which are on the flyers for each respective hub
How often are sessions held?
There will be 9-11 sessions in total and these will take place across the hub phase between January and April 2027
Is there a cost to participate?
There will be no cost
What attendance level is expected?
Ideally attend as many weeks as you can if you are offered a place in the final squad of 18-24 players. If you feel that you cannot commit to around 85/90% of the weeks please be honest and allow someone else to take the place
Can players participate alongside club cricket and County Age Group (CAG) cricket?
Yes for club cricket, but you cannot be involved in CAG and be part of the MCC programme at the same time

ELIGIBILITY

Does my child need to attend a specific school?
This programme is open to pupils at state schools only
Is the programme open to all ability levels?
Yes, but as the programme is hardball for boys and most of the girls. You will need to be confident in the observations/trials as there will be players who have played hardball before and will be doing their best when batting or bowling
Are there age restrictions?
Boys is between 11-15 years old (Years 6-10)/Girls is between 11-17 years old (Years 6-12)
Can late applications still be considered?
Potentially, if there is space

If there is something else you wish to ask that hasn’t been answered above, please email Gavin Reynolds – greynolds@surreycricket.com. For Croydon and Dulwich hubs, please contact Simon Talbot – talby1@outlook.com.

Helping To Grow & Support Our Game

The Surrey Cricket Foundation is the charitable body charged with the delivery of recreational cricket in Surrey and an integral part of Surrey County Cricket Club.

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