MCC include Atkins for Sri Lanka

Caroline Atkins

All-rounder Caroline Atkins, who toured Sri Lanka and India last autumn with England, is one of 15 ladies in the MCC party to make a 10-day tour of Sri Lanka.

Atkins - a former MCC Young Cricketer - will leave with the rest of the squad on Saturday February 11 and the party includes four other players who have international experience.

The tour will be managed by Norma Izard, who managed the England women’s cricket team for 10 years (including the side that won the 1993 Women’s World Cup Final at Lord’s) and MCC’s captain, Coral Handley, played for England at Under 19 and Under 25 level between 1973 and 1982.

Also touring are spinner Radhi Nanalal who represented India in 1979; and Emma Beamish who has won 10 caps for Ireland, and played five matches for her country during the Women’s World Cup in 2005.

Atkins said: “It was a great honour to be selected for the England squad last year, and I learned a great deal on both the Sri Lankan and Indian legs of the tour.

"I hope that I will be able to use my experience of cricket on the sub-continent to benefit both myself and my fellow MCC players.”

John Stephenson, MCC’s Head of Cricket, said: “This is an important tour for MCC. We have been committed to developing women’s cricket since the formation of an MCC women’s team in 1999.

“The fixture list has grown year on year, and this is the first time that an MCC women’s team has visited a country outside Europe.

"I hope that the squad will enjoy their trip to Sri Lanka; it is a challenging environment in which to play cricket and they will undoubtedly all benefit greatly from the experience.”

MCC squad to tour Sri Lanka: Norma Izard (manager), Coral Handley (captain), Caroline Atkins, Emma Beamish, Alison Bruce, Julie May, Radhi Nanalal, Bev Nicholson, Siân Price, Colleen Rogers, Sarah Streete, Lucy Turner, Carole Ward, Natalie Williams, Stephanie Williams, Colin Wilson (umpire).