Abu Dhabi will host a new “North v South” of England one-day series after a three-year agreement was made, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) have announced.
The teams for the three-match series will be decided by a computer programme that will pick five players for each side, including one spinner, by using the Professional Cricketers’ Association’s Most Valued Player ratings formula.
The PCA’s MVP rankings system, which was launched in 2007, aims to reward players for their contribution to their teams. It sees bowlers earns more points for taking the wickets of top-order batsmen, while batsmen receive points for run rate and percentage to their team’s overall score.
“This is a good opportunity for England, domestic players and the game,” England’s managing director Andrew Strauss was quoted as saying by the BBC.
“Finding the best players outside the current England set-up, playing them against each other in overseas conditions and placing them in an England environment will help us see if they’re ready for international cricket.”
The three-match series will act as a warm-up to the County Championship’s 50-over tournament, the Royal London Cup, and the teams will be chosen based on players’ performance in this season’s competition.
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