Warwickshire players past and present , Shozair Ali and Alex Mellor, will play for Staffordshire in their Minor Counties Trophy quarter-final against Cambridgeshire at Knypersley on Sunday June 30.
Seamer Ali will make his Minor Counties debut having been called up to replace fellow former academy graduate Brinder Phagura who has informed Staffordshire that he no longer wishes to play for the county.
Ali was plucked from the obscurity of the Birmingham Parks League to represent England Under-19s while he was on Warwickshire’s Academy.
He made one first-class appearance against Oxford MCCU at the start of the 2013 season and now combines a role as a development officer with Warwickshire with playing for West Bromwich Dartmouth, alongside Staffordshire captain Kadeer Ali, in the Birmingham & District Premier League.
Wicketkeeper/batsman Mellor, Staffordshire born and bred, played in the second round victory over Herefordshire and is set to make his second Minor Counties appearance of the season.
Lincolnshire are without former Yorkshire left-arm seamer James Wainman for Cumberland’s visit to Bourne.
Wainman made his Lincolnshire debut in the second round victory over Trophy holders Cheshire but has now been recruited by injury-ravaged Warwickshire on a short term deal along with Cheshire seamer Bailey Wightman.
Minor Counties Trophy quarter-finals, Sunday June 30 (11am)
- Bourne: Lincolnshire v Cumberland
- Knypersley: Staffordshire v Cambridgeshire
- Falkland CC: Berkshire v Cornwall
- Aston Rowant: Oxfordshire v Wiltshire
