Two Gloucestershire players selected in England Over 60s Grey Ashes squad
25 October 2024
Two of Gloucestershire’s Over 60s squad have been selected to play for England in the upcoming Grey Ashes series in Australia.
Razi Ahmed and Edward Gordon Lennox, who will captain the England side, are both included in the 18-player squad for tour of Australia in November and December.
The tour will be made up of a five-match ODI Grey Ashes series alongside nine additional tourist matches across Australia.
England retained the urn in the last Grey Ashes series in July 2023, prevailing 3-2 on home soil. It was in that series that Nick Gaywood, still part of the current squad, became only the second Englishman to score three figures in the third One Day International – Bob Eames (109 in 2011) was the first. In their last trip to Australia in 2019, England won the series 2-1.
The two old foes have met 35 times in Over 60s cricket with England winning 23 times, Australia 10, one draw and one tie. The first official meeting between the teams took place on 16th August 2009 at Sheffield United’s Bawtry Road ground – England won by nine wickets.
Gloucestershire’s Edward Gordon Lennox is the newly appointed captain of England Over 60s having stepped up to replace long-term skipper Richard Merriman, who has decided to take a break from international cricket.
In Gordon Lennox’s first series as captain, he has been joined by three new faces to the international scene. Razi Ahmed, Mark Eames and Melvyn Holmes all made their England debuts in the recently completed Tri Nations series against Scotland and Wales.
Speaking ahead of his first tour as England Captain, Gordon Lennox, said: “It’s a huge honour to be the Captain of my country and it’s also a great privilege, but it does come with a responsibility to make sure the team performs at its best. The Aussies will fight to win their first Grey Ashes, so our aim is to give it our all in the hope of retaining the urn.”
England squad for 2024 Grey Ashes series
Razi Ahmed (Gloucestershire), Steve Aston (Staffordshire), Jason Caunt (Vice-captain, Derbyshire), Phil Deakin (Lancashire), Montie Douglas (Lincolnshire), Mark Eames (Warwickshire), Nick Gargaro (Hampshire), Nick Gaywood (Yorkshire), Edward Gordon Lennox (Captain, Gloucestershire), Melvyn Holmes (Leicestershire), Mel Hussain (Essex), Nigel Moore (Warwickshire), Mike Palmer (Warwickshire), Jim Phillips (Kent), Paul Radage (Cheshire), Simon Routh (Kent), Lee Selfe (Bedfordshire), Kevin Watson (Yorkshire).
Coaching team
Paul Bradley (Team Manager), Tony Fitzgerald (Scorer), Chris Johnson (Umpire), Mel Mahood (Umpire), Rash Mahmood (Commentator), Paolo Iorio (Osteopath).
2024 Grey Ashes schedule
17th November – New Zealand @ Wynnum Manly CC, Brisbane
18th November – Queensland City @ Caboolture CC, Sunshine Coast
20th November – Queensland Country @ Limestone Park, Ipswich, Brisbane
22nd November – VCA President’s XI @ Chisholm Oval, Canberra
24th November – 1st Grey Ashes ODI @ Bradman Oval, Bowral
26th November – Victoria A @ Schramms Oval, Doncaster, Melbourne
28th November – 2nd Grey Ashes ODI @ Caulfield Park, Caulfield, Melbourne
1st December – Victoria Country @ Benalla
4th December – Invitational XI @ Chateau Tanunda, Adelaide
6th December – 3rd Grey Ashes ODI @ Tanunda Oval, Adelaide
10th December – WAVCA President’s Invitational @ Forrest Park, Bunbury
11th December – WA Southwest Country @ Kalkallo Reserve, Donnybrook
13th December – 4th Grey Ashes ODI @ College Park, Nedlands, Perth
15th December – 5th Grey Ashes ODI @ Fletcher Park, Carlisle, Perth
