It may, at times, seem like the pinnacle of the cricketing world is our very own Surrey Championship. As the likes of Dulwich and Sunbury put on their poshest accents to sneak in from outside the county and partake in this illustrious league it’s easy for us to assume that there is nothing beyond.

However, as Aladdin told us there’s ‘a whole new world’ out there, a rich tapestry of cricketing excellence which some of our very own Molers are becoming a part of.

Marcus Campopiano left the club at the end of last season (having scored 670 league runs in 2021 at an average of 48) to begin a new job at Oxfordshire CCC. Evidently Oxford is not satisfying Campo’s yearning for refined culture and cuisine as he’s decided to supplement his Oxfordshire role with an Italian job.

The birthplace of Pavarotti and Da Vinci has added yet another string to its bow as our very own Campo (once a Moler, always a Moler) begins his international cricket career. Thus far he’s made five international appearances. Campo’s highlights include an 85 against Kenya and 75* against Bermuda, the nation that gave us all 127 kgs of Dwayne Leverock whose 2007 diving slip catch sent both literal and figurative shock waves around the cricketing world. I’m sure you’ve seen the video, if not, it’s definitely worth a watch.

Another international Mole is Fionn Hand. Fionn represented EMCC during the 2020 season and in May the all rounder was given a nine month contract with the Irish cricket team. As Irish cricket continues to improve hopefully Fionn’s quick bowling and big hitting can propel him to success on the international stage.

The bowling dominance of Andrew Westphal has touched multiple continents. The EMCC legend has represented Mexico on the international stage, one can only imagine our 1st Xl opening bowler stumbling around the dark corners of Tijuana after taking 2fer against the Peruvians.

We mustn’t forget the success which many of our former overseas pros have had on the international stage. Henry Nicholls, who recently made headlines for being dismissed in particularly bizarre fashion during New Zealand’s third test against England, has represented his country on over a hundred occasions and has eight test match hundreds.

Angelo Perera and Adam Zampa have both played international cricket since their time at EMCC and recently Ben McDermott, our overseas pro from 2018, came down to visit Graburn.

McDermott made his first international century in March 2022 against Pakistan, the Aussies went on to lose the game so it really was the best of both worlds from EMCC's perspective.

In summary, there is an international cricketer within all of us. Maybe one of our juniors will follow the path of the overseas players and manage to be selected for a test playing nation, but just in case that doesn’t work out for your child, all EMCC parents are strongly encouraged to buy an Ancestry.co.uk membership and compile a list of countries which your son or daughter is eligible to represent. Who will be the one to finally propel Bulgarian cricket to the next level? It could be you…