AN all-rounder from Alderley Edge Cricket Club has returned from Marylebone Cricket Club’s tour of Nepal.

Richard Wilkinson, who has also played for Cheshire CCC and MCC Young Cricketers, was part of a 13-strong squad for the two-week tour.

He was in good form as MCC won three, lost two and drew one of their matches against the full Nepal national team as well as the Nepal B and Under 19s teams.

Five matches were played at the Tribhuvan University Stadium in Kathmandu, and one took place in Pokhara in the west of Nepal.

Leicestershire all-rounder Neil Dexter captained MCC and former England international Martin Saggers travelled with the group as umpire.

The squad also delivered coaching clinics to young local cricketers from the Nepal National Cricket Academy – many of whom had been affected by the devastating April earthquake.

The tour had been under review after this year’s earthquakes, but was confirmed by MCC Head of Cricket, John Stephenson, after a short fact-finding visit to Nepal in October.

This was the third time MCC have toured Nepal.

The first visit was in March 2003, when the itinerary included four one-day matches in Kathmandu. MCC won three, including a last-ball victory over the Nepal Under 19 side. The second tour of Nepal took place in March 2009 and was captained by former England international, Min Patel.

John Stephenson said: “Richard and the rest of our players represented MCC very well on this tour and played in some very closely contested matches which I’m sure provided great entertainment for the locals.

"It was crucial that our players engaged with the local community in Nepal as well, and I know the coaching clinics with young cricketers and the visit to the British Gurkha Welfare Trust were both huge successes.

"Nepal has been through a lot this year but we’ve seen how cricket is helping to relieve some of the trauma, and I hope MCC’s presence there has contributed to that, while also promoting the sport in the country as a whole. "This tour has further cemented the strong relationship that exists between MCC and Nepal, and we look forward to welcoming their national team to Lord’s for a fixture against MCC next summer.”

The full MCC squad to tour Nepal was: Colin Maber (Manager, MCC Estates Committee Chairman), Neil Dexter (Captain, Leicestershire CCC), Liam Redrup (Somerset CCC), George Adair (Hampstead CC), Steve Clark (Hampstead CC), Storm Green (British Army CC), Scott McKechnie (Hartley Country Club CC), Michael Coles (Corsham CC, Wiltshire CCC), Alex MacQueen (Valley End CC), Alex Senneck (Westbury & District CC, British Army CC), Ben Shepperson (Mildenhall CC), Richard Wilkinson (Alderley Edge CC), Chris Lawlor (St Fagans CC), Greg Holmes (Cardiff CC, Wales MC), Martin Saggers (Umpire, Kent).