Lawson named in Red Rose Academy intake

Burnley's Tom Lawson has been selected for the Lancashire County Cricket Club Academy intake for 2017.
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The Academy, led by former Lancashire off-spinner Gary Yates, consists of 12 players, and for the very first time, below the Academy, Lancashire CCC will have an EPP Excellence squad, with 11 boys selected.

Along with the other players, Tom will have access to sessions alongside the Academy players throughout the year.

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The Queen Elizabeth Grammar School Year 13 pupil has represented Lancashire Schools at Under 12s, 13s, 14s, 15s, 16s and 17s, North of England Under 15s and 17s – who he helped be crowned national championship winners, and was a member of Burnley’s quadruple winning side in 2015.

Having made his first team debut in 2013, he earned his best score of 16 not out against East Lancs in the season just ended, while also claiming best bowling figures of 5-26 against Enfield in the Colne Trophy.

l Burnley Cricket Club professional Chris Holt has this week been in action for a squad from Marylebone Cricket Club on a 12-day tour of Namibia.

Holt is part of a 13-strong squad which left Lord’s last Thursday – which also includes Warwickshire bowler Chris Wright and Essex wicketkeeper Adam Wheater.

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There were seven fixtures scheduled for the trip, including a T20 clash with Namibia A in Windhoek and a 50-over match against Welwitschia Sparta CC in Walvis Bay.

The squad will also lead two coaching clinics with local young cricketers in Windhoek and Swakopmund.

John Stephenson, MCC Head of Cricket, said: “Cricket in Namibia is an increasingly popular sport and the visit of an MCC squad will only enhance that.

“We have arranged a very busy itinerary for this tour, and our squad has been selected with the aim of creating the most competitive cricket possible.

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“I am sure Chris and the rest of the players will prove excellent ambassadors for the Club and the Spirit of Cricket.”

l Record-breaking Burnley batsman Vishal Tripathi is to leave My Protein Turf Moor to join Liverpool and District Competition side Bootle.

The 28-year-old former Habergham High School pupil started out at Padiham, before spells with Heaton, Lowerhouse, Milnrow, Northamptonshire and Morecambe, winning the Worsley Cup in 2004 and Lancashire League title in 2005 with the West Enders.

He then helped Burnley win the title in 2006, and returned in 2014, where he was an vital cog in the quadruple-winning Burnley side in 2015.

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That year, he broke Jon Harvey’s 1995 club amateur batting record with 1,138 runs at 47.4, including three centuries and six half centuries.

In all matches that year, he hit a staggering 1,988 runs at 58.5, with five centuries and 14 half centuries.

Tripathi was also named man of the match in the 2015 and 2016 Fosters Worsley Cup Final wins.

This season, he again finished as the Lancashire League’s leading run scorer, for a fourth time, hitting 955 runs at 63.9, with one century and eight half centuries.

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He narrowly missed out on becoming the first amateur ever to break the 1,000 runs barrier twice.

Tripathi also hit a brilliant 95 off 117 balls in Burnley’s one-wicket LCB Knockout Cup third round win over holders Bootle in a classic encounter at Turf Moor in July, hitting six fours and three sixes.