Durham University Centre of Cricketing Excellence (Durham UCCE), known as Durham MCC University (Durham MCCU) from 2010 to 2020, is a cricket coaching centre based at Durham University in Durham, County Durham, England, and the name under which the Durham University Cricket Club (DUCC) first team plays.
 | |
| Personnel | |
|---|---|
| Coach | Paul Grayson[1] |
| Team information | |
| Founded |
|
| Home ground | The Racecourse |
| Secondary home ground(s) | Maiden Castle sports centre |
| History | |
| First-class debut | Durham County Cricket Club in 2001 at the Riverside Ground |
History
The earliest record of cricket being played at Durham University was in 1843, with a match against a Sunderland team at The Racecourse, which has remained the university's home ground ever since and is the oldest university ground in England.[a] Durham University Cricket Club was formed in 1846.[2] In 1981, Durham became the first university other than Oxford or Cambridge to play against a county side, with a three day match against Nottinghamshire at The Racecourse.[3]
The Durham University Centre of Cricketing Excellence was established as a training centre by Graeme Fowler in 1996; he would continue as Durham's head coach until stepping down in protest at changes introduced by the MCC in 2015.[4][5] He was succeeded by Essex coach Paul Grayson.[1]
The UCCE model was adopted nationally by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) in 2000, with the establishment of five other UCCEs at Cambridge, Cardiff, Oxford, Leeds/Bradford and Loughborough. With the exception of Loughborough, these were all multi-institution centres. The scheme transferred to the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) in 2004, with the UCCEs becoming MCC Universities from 2010.[6] As Durham MCC University, the coaching centre was largely funded by the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC).[7] In 2020, the universities programme returned to the ECB.[8]
From 2001, Durham joined Oxford and Cambridge in having matches against first-class counties considered as first-class matches, playing their first first-class match against Durham County Cricket Club at the Riverside Ground in Chester-le-Street on 16 April 2021. Their first home first-class match was played at The Racecourse against Lancashire on 13 June 2001.[9] This would eventually expand to include Loughborough UCCE from 2003 and all of the MCCUs from 2012.[10][11] In 2012, Durham MCCU were dismissed for 18 against Durham County Cricket Club,[12] the lowest first-class innings total since 1983.[13] First class status was removed from all university matches after 2020, with the final first-class matches in 2020 being cancelled due to the Covid pandemic.[14]
After obtaining first-class status in 2001, the university produced a large number of cricketers who obtained professional county contracts, while others such as James Foster went on to play international cricket. Prior to first-class status, players such as Andrew Strauss and Nasser Hussain played for the university's cricket club.[15]
As Durham University Centre of Cricketing Excellence, the team played 27 first-class matches from 2001 to 2009.[9] As Durham Marylebone Cricket Club University, the team played 21 first-class matches (not including one abandoned and two cancelled) from 2010 to 2020.[6]
An expansion of the university's Maiden Castle sports centre in 2019 included the construction of an indoor cricket hall.[16] This allowed Durham to host indoor cricket matches, which had previously been played at the Riverside Ground's indoor facility.
Honours
- MCC Universities Two-Day Championship winners 2010[17]
- MCC Universities Challenge Final winners 2010 and 2018[18][19]
- BUCS Cricket Men's National Division winners 2018[20]
- BUCS Cricket Men's Indoor Championship Finals winners 2022[21]
- BUCS Cricket Women's National Championship winners 2022[22]
- BUCS Cricket Men's Indoor Championship Super 8's winners 2023[23]
- BUCS Cricket Men's Indoor Championship Finals winners 2024[24]