Search 4 A Star 2007 - The Winners

February 2008

Amar Rashid, the leg-spinning all-rounder from Bradford, and Kyle Tanner the 19 year-old fast bowler from Ipswich have emerged as our two Winners from the Programme designed to identify and develop ‘talented and undiscovered’ cricketers.

The concept of developing talent ‘outside the system’ of English Professional Cricket and providing a bridge into the professional game has seen previous winners Tim Linley (Sussex) and Sachin Vaja (Essex) experience the professional game. It is hoped that after a season in county cricket, each individual can progress further and establish a career in cricket.

Amar Rashid and Kyle Tanner are currently in South Africa at The NBC International Cricket Academy in Cape Town, preparing for the 2008 season and competing to be selected as London County’s Search 4 A Star Winner. The outright Winner will receive a Development Contract with a First-Class County and receive a 12-month Bespoke Mentoring Programme from London County to enhance their development in 2008.

Whilst in Cape Town, the players will train and practice in the company of Professionals Nick Compton (Middlesex), Joe Sayers (Yorkshire) and Darren Stevens (Kent) aswell as being accompanied by 2006 Search 4 A Star Winner Sachin Vaja.

Amar Rashid and Kyle Tanner impressed Professional Coaches Neil Burns, Jack Birkenshaw, Eric Simons and Vince Wells on the London County Tour to West Indies in October after beating over 500 others at Talent Identification Events as part of The Nationwide Roadshow run by London County in the summer of 2007.

The overall Winner will be announced shortly.