The MCC University matches in 2005 are games played between the University Centre of Cricketing Excellence ("UCCEs") and first-class opposition. This is the first year the games are called "MCC" University matches, after the MCC announced a funding plan to support the development of student cricket.
There are six UCCEs, four of which have first-class status: Oxford UCCE, Cambridge UCCE, Durham UCCE and Loughborough UCCE. These are joined by two non-first-class university teams: Cardiff/Glamorgan UCCE and Leeds/Bradford UCCE.
The first round of games
Cambridge UCCE v Essex (9–11 April)
Essex beat Cambridge UCCE by 4 wickets
Cambridge UCCE and Essex started the season at Fenner's Ground in Cambridge. For the first time the Cambridge UCCE team was dominated by players from Anglia Polytechnic University rather than Cambridge University. The first day was a successful one for Cambridge UCCE, who completed an innings of 321. This was quite a recovery from 7 down for 139, when Friedlander (81), who has represented Boland in South Africa, and Wright (76) got together. James Middlebrook took 5 for 54 for Essex. On the second day, Essex put together 307 for 4 declared, although no player scored more than Ravinder Bopara, with 69. Cambridge UCCE scored 64 for 3 by close of play. On the third and final day, Cambridge UCCE piled on more runs, finally declaring on 255 for 4, the highlight of which being 129 not out from Adnan Akram.
This left Essex 270 to win. They lost wickets in doing so, with Palladino taking four wickets, and the students gamely going for a win. However, an all-round performance by Essex finally saw them home with four wickets left. (Cricinfo scorecard)
Glamorgan v Cardiff UCCE (9–11 April)
Match drawn
On the first day of this match at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff, Glamorgan ran riot, notching up 516 for 7, with David Hemp (120), Matthew Maynard (105) and Ian Thomas (133) all making centuries. They continued on the second day, adding 87 for the last three wickets, until Cardiff UCCE finally dismissed them. The match didn't improve for Cardiff UCCE, as they made only 152 in reply. However, Glamorgan chose not to enforce the follow-on and elected for more batting practice. By close of play they were 134 for no loss. On the third and final day, Mark Wallace and Jonathan Hughes both completed their centuries, making 117 and 109 (retired hurt) respectively. Glamorgan finally declared on 381 for 3, leaving Cardiff UCCE an impossible 833 to win. At 57 for 2, an early capitulation looked likely. However, Rhodri Lloyd and Simon Butler got together and proved difficult to dismiss. By the time Lloyd was out for 102, Butler was on 104, Cardiff UCCE 257 for 3, and the game ended in a draw. (Cricinfo scorecard)
Oxford UCCE v Gloucestershire (9–11 April)
Match drawn
Oxford Universities Cricketing Centre of Excellence and Gloucestershire started their 2005 first-class season at the Parks in Oxford on 9 April. Gloucestershire won the toss and chose to bat. They made 305 for 9 declared off 89.2 overs, Phil Weston's 103 making him the first Gloucestershire centurion of the season. The declaration left 9 overs for Oxford to bat through until the end of the first day. They were 21 for 2 at the close.
On the second day, Oxford UCCE collapsed to 116 all out. Gloucestershire chose batting practice rather than to enforce the follow-on. At close they were 262 for 1, with Craig Spearman undefeated on 170. In the final over, which was the first one Stephen Moreton had bowled in first-class cricket, Spearman scored 6,6,6,6,4 and 6, with Spearman being dropped twice. The innings continued on the third and last day, and Gloucestershire closed on 490 for 4 declared from 101 overs. Spearman had made 216 before he retired out. There were few overs in the day left, but victory for Gloucestershire looked on the cards when they reduced Oxford UCCE to 24 for 6. Then a rearguard undefeated 64 from Knappett and 22 from Woods rescued some pride for Oxford UCCE and saw them through for the draw. (Cricinfo scorecard)
Northamptonshire v Bradford/Leeds UCCE (9–10 April)
Northamptonshire beat Bradford/Leeds UCCE by an innings and 62 runs
The first day of this game at Northampton saw Northamptonshire progress to 373 for 7 declared off only 69 overs. Kevin Innes top-scored with 80 off only 59 balls. The declaration left time for 23 more overs on the first day, in which Bradford/Leeds UCCE slumped to 60 for 5. The second day, Bradford/Leeds UCCE fared equally badly, being dismissed for 137. Northamptonshire chose to enforce the follow-on rather than opt for batting practice, and saw off Bradford/Leeds UCCE for 174 to win by an innings and 62 runs in two days. Spinners Monty Panesar and Jason Brown both got five wickets each in the match. (Cricinfo scorecard)
Somerset v Durham UCCE (9–11 April)
Match drawn
At Taunton, the first day of the season for these two teams made up Somerset's first innings. In 105 overs Somerset made a mammoth 580 for 5 declared. Ian Blackwell contributed 191, John Francis 123 and Matthew Wood 95 as Durham UCCE struggled. Francis and Wood's partnership is a new record fifth-wicket partnership for Somerset, beating the 235 put on by Box Case and Jack White in 1927. Somerset declared on their overnight total. However, on a good pitch, Durham UCCE fared well, making a mammoth 304 for the first wicket, and were 327 for 1 at close on the second day. Will Smith scored 156 and Alistair Maiden 211 not out before Durham UCCE were able to declare on 433 for 4, 147 behind. Also, this was against a first-class attack including Andy Caddick and Nixon McLean. Somerset chose to bat out the rest of the day for a draw, finishing on 211 for 2 declared, with John Francis scoring 112. (Cricinfo scorecard)
Sussex v Loughborough UCCE (9–11 April)
Match drawn
The first day of this match, which was played at Hove, saw Loughborough dismissed for 237. Sussex then reached 15 for no loss at close. Sussex batted through the second day, adding 352 in the 105 overs available, after both Ian Ward and Richard Montgomery both got centuries. Sussex were finally dismissed for 490 on the third and last day. This didn't leave them enough time to dismiss Loughborough UCCE a second time, and they were 103 for 5 at the end of the match. (Cricinfo scorecard)
The second round of games
Kent v Cardiff UCCE (13–15 April)
Match drawn
Kent had a tough rain-affected first day at the St Lawrence Ground, Canterbury. They struggled against the bowling of Dai Rushbrook, who took 3 for 25 in 8 overs, and Luke Sellers, who took 2 for 23 in 7. At one point they were reduced to 86 for 6, before recovering to 104 for 6 in the 30 overs the weather allowed them before close of play on the first day. The next two days of this three day match were then both abandoned because of rain. (Cricinfo scorecard)
Nottinghamshire v Loughborough UCCE (13–15 April)
Match drawn
At Trent Bridge Loughborough UCCE won the toss and elected to bat. This allowed Nottinghamshire's Greg Smith to show off his left arm fast-medium bowling that Loughborough's inexperienced students could not cope with. Smith took 5 for 19 as Loughborough UCCE made only 164 to be bowled out before tea. After tea, Darren Bicknell and Jason Gallian scored at a steady 3 runs an over to leave Notts 67 without loss at close on the first day.
The Nottinghamshire innings continued and took up all the second day, and the batsmen got useful match practice before their Championship season started. The highlight was Anurag Singh's 131 from 176 balls with 23 fours and a six. Three other batsmen made half-centuries, including Darren Bicknell, whose 91 took up five minutes short of five hours. The pick of the bowling came from Loughborough UCCE's left-arm spinner David Wainwright. Nottinghamshire were 467 for 8 at close on the second day.
Nottinghamshire continued their innings on the third and final day, allowing Graeme Swann to make his half-century, finishing with 63 off 59 balls. They were finally all out for 532 off 130 overs. Wainwright finished on 4 for 109. This did not leave enough time for Loughborough UCCE to be dismissed a second time. They only needed to survive 47 overs. That seemed in doubt when they tumbled to 38 for 3, before the ship was steadied, and they scored 185 for 4 to claim the draw. Wicket-keeper Paul Harrison scored 54. (Cricinfo scorecard)
The third round of games
Oxford UCCE v Derbyshire (20–22 April)
Match drawn
The first day at the Parks left Derbyshire at 225 for 8 at close. After recent rain in Oxford, and with a swinging ball in hand, the Oxford UCCE bowlers were commendably accurate. If 2 or 3 more catches had been taken, the scoreline would have looked even more impressive for the students.
On the second day, after Derbyshire moved to 246 all out, Luke Parker, a Warwickshire signing, scored 89 to help Oxford to 245 for 5, just one run behind Derbyshire. The third day saw Oxford UCCE consolidate their lead, and they were finally all out for 372, a lead of 126. The student bowlers were not up to the task of dismissing Derbyshire a second time in the 53 overs that remained. Indeed, they fared poorly, as Jonathan Moss scored 109 not out, with the game ending when the visitors declared on 226 for 2. (Cricinfo scorecard)
Surrey v Bradford/Leeds UCCE (20–22 April)
Bradford/Leeds UCCE beat Surrey by 4 wickets
The first day at the Oval went according to the script. Surrey piled on 433 for 7 declared, with Richard Clinton scoring a century, and then Bradford/Leeds UCCE got to 31 for 2 by stumps. Rikki Clarke twisted his ankle, and would not bowl again in the match.
On the second day, the match changed. Bradford/Leeds UCCE, thanks to Adam Patel (54), James Duffy (64) and a defiant last wicket partnership of 86 between Tom Glover (42*) and Simon Crampton (42), took their score to 333, a deficit of 100. Even worse news for Surrey was a tear to Ian Salisbury's intercostal muscle which put him out of the rest of the game, and a re-aggravated hamstring injury to Martin Bicknell that stopped him bowling further in the match. Surrey then faltered with the bat, finishing the game on 132 for 6.
On the last day, Surrey were dismissed for 217 (although Ian Salisbury was absent hurt), with Glover taking 4 for 47. This left the students with a target of 318 runs off 70 overs. Very much to their credit, they went for it. Thomas Merilaht (56), Duffy (49 in 41 balls), Ryan Bradshaw (89* in 95 balls) and Mohammad Ali (27* off 22 balls) treated the sparse crowd to the sight of a UCCE team consistently finding the boundaries against a spread out field. Bradshaw hit 5 sixes and 8 fours in a match-winning innings. Whilst it was against a second-string Surrey attack (Clarke, Salisbury and Bicknell did not bowl) Bradford/Leeds UCCE were delighted to win with 2.1 overs remaining. (BBC scorecard)
The fourth round of games
Hampshire v Cardiff UCCE (27–29 April)
Hampshire beat Cardiff UCCE by 95 runs
On the first, rain-affected day Hampshire progressed to 299 for 4 off 76 overs, with Michael Brown putting on 93 at the Rose Bowl. On day 2, Hampshire declared on their overnight score and bowled out Cardiff UCCE. Cardiff UCCE's Christopher Salmons scored 84 not out, an innings that included six fours and five sixes, which made up nearly half of the students' total of 169. Hampshire were 80 for 3, 210 runs ahead, at close. On the third and final day Hampshire declared on 146 for 6, setting a target of 277. Wickets fell at regular intervals, and there was just enough time for Cardiff UCCE to be bowled out for a second time for 181. (BBC scorecard)
Leicestershire v Durham UCCE (27–29 April)
Match drawn