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UEL student catches the attention of England cricket selectors

Thursday 10 November 2011

Tymal Mills

UEL second-year sports journalism student and Essex bowler Tymal Mills has been brought into the 2011-12 England Performance Programme cricket squad, following a string of lively performances for Essex and England Under-19s last season.

It has been an amazing year for the sportsman, starting at the Essex academy and now finishing with him singled out as one of the players the England selectors want to see a lot more of.

The 19-year-old student will undergo three weeks training in the UK later this month before travelling to Pochefstroom, South Africa, for a specialised fast bowler programme.

Tymal said: "To be honest I’m just taking it all in and riding on the crest of a wave. The call-up just came out of the blue, Paul Grayson (Essex head coach) phoned me to say I was getting some good news and then Dave Parsons (England Cricket Board performance director) called. I'm ahead of where I thought I'd be no doubt about it. I've just got to enjoy these experiences and make sure I keep improving."

Tymal only took up the sport seriously three years ago and had never even picked up a cricket ball until five years ago when his local village team, Tuddenham, were a man short. "I can't really believe the progress I've made," he said.”It's a bit scary. It’s difficult keeping up on my college work, so I'm just trying to get it all done ahead of time.”

Following the call-up, Tymal is now targeting a spot on the England Lions tour of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka early next year and hopes his sheer pace (he regularly bowls in excess of 90 mph), will catch the eye of the selectors.

The University of East London aims to be the number one university for sport in London by 2015.

Notes to Editors

The University of East London (UEL) is a global learning community with over 28,000 students from over 120 countries world-wide. Our vision is to achieve recognition, both nationally and internationally, as a successful and inclusive regional university proud of its diversity, committed to new modes of learning which focus on students and enhance their employability, and renowned for our contribution to social, cultural and economic development, especially through our research and scholarship. We have a strong track-record in widening participation and working with industry.

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