12 January 2010 Bonus for Summer School and Foundation Studies students with Under-19 World Cup cricket on doorstep

A feast of international cricket has come to New Zealand’s specialist land-based university, Lincoln University, and specifically the Bert Sutcliffe Oval and associated cricket grounds on the park-like campus.

It’s the International Cricket Council’s Under-19 World Cup Tournament and Lincoln University are among the venues for the month-long event which culminates in the final at the Bert Sutcliffe Oval on 30 January.

“The presence at the University of the World Cup games, which are free of charge to watch,  is a fantastic recreational bonus for the current Summer School students and the many international students on campus studying English Language and Foundation Studies,” says the Manager of the University’s Recreation Centre and Sports Scholarship Programme, Peter Magson.

Various venues in Canterbury and Marlborough have been hosting warm-up matches since the 3rd January and the programme involving Lincoln University grounds opened yesterday (11th January) with warm-ups between New Zealand and Bangladesh and Australia and West Indies.

Sixteen teams are taking part in the tournament which will see a total of 48 matches played as One Day Internationals in a round robin/knockout format leading up to the final at Lincoln University at the end of the month. The tournament officially opens on Friday 15 January with the start of group play.

Participating countries are  -  Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, England, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, South Africa, Sri Lanka,  USA, West Indies, and Zimbabwe. The defending champions are India.

Today (12th January) at Lincoln University Afghanistan warms up against Zimbabwe on the Lincoln No. 3 ground and PNG meets USA on Lincoln Green.

On Friday (15th January) in the opening of group play Afghanistan meets India at the Bert Sutcliffe Oval and other matches are being played at other venues in Christchurch, Queenstown and Palmerston North.

On Saturday 16th of January on the Lincoln No. 3 ground New Zealand meets Canada and the following day at the Bert Sutcliffe Oval Sri Lanka plays Zimbabwe. Matches are scheduled for Lincoln University grounds throughout the remainder of the tournament. Full schedule details are available here.