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ECB have today announced that the Worcestershire Captain, Vikram Solanki, will captain the England Lions side against the West Indies in the one day match at New Road on Thursday 21st June.

Vikram has recently struck some impressive form. Against Warwickshire Bears in a FPT game, he hit an impressive 144no, with his hundred coming in just 82 balls with 10 fours and 2 sixes. Against Surrey, he built on this by achieving a new career best first class score of 232 in his first innings. Just this week he scored another hundred against Scotland in just 83 balls.

The England Lions team against the West Indies will also include two other Worcestershire players, Kabir Ali and Gareth Batty.

Kabir Ali, the County’s leading wicket taker, produced career best figures of 8-50 in the LV County Championship match against Lancashire in May. Kabir has consistently taken wickets for Worcestershire this season and has had good form throughout.

Gareth Batty has also had an impressive start to the season. He was the leading wicket taker in the recent LV County Championship match against Surrey with match figures of 8-184.

All three players have international experience and will look to take this opportunity to establish their credentials with the new England Coach for the forthcoming NatWest Series.

Worcestershire supporters will also be pleased to see that Chris Gayle, who played for the county in 2005, has been selected to captain the West Indies one day side during the forthcoming Natwest series.

Vikram Solanki said, “I am delighted to be asked to captain England Lions against the West Indies. I am pleased with my form in recent weeks so to Captain the England Lions on my home ground is an honour. I hope the game on Thursday against the West Indies will prove to be similarly successful for the whole England Lions team.”

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Warwickshire CCC are delighted to announce that they have signed Vaughn van Jaarsveld on a two year contract. Vaughn who has been on trial with the Club’s Second XI and playing in the Birmingham League with Moseley since the beginning of the season has generated interest from other counties since his arrival in the UK earlier in the season.

The contract which was signed today includes the 2008 and 2009 seasons.

Vaughn, who is 22, has represented South African state side Gauteng and the National Under 19 side but has decided to opt to play in England instead of South Africa and has signed as a Kolpak player.

Commenting on the signing, Vaughn said,” It is a real honour to sign for such a great Club. I have been around Edgbaston for a while now and I have enjoyed every minute on the field and the dressing room banter. I want to commit my future to the Bears and am looking forward to making my debut.”

Director of Coaching, Mark Greatbatch, believes Vaughn will add to the strength of the current squad,” We have been following Vaughn since he arrived in April and have appreciated the help we have had from Moseley CC in giving him experience of English conditions. He has impressed us in the games he has played. We look forward to working with Vaughn to further improve his game and believe he will add even more depth to our batting line-up.”

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