GUISELEY cricketer Patrick Fordham left on Monday with the 16 man MCC squad for their groundbreaking tour of China and Hong Kong.

The MCC hope to stage as many coaching sessions as possible for the benefit of Chinese players on this the MCC's first-ever tour of China. MCC will play six matches on this tour.

The touring party will be captained by Min Patel, the Kent and former England spin bowler, and other players include Dougie Brown, the Warwickshire and former England all-rounder.

The squad will be managed by Julian Vallance, a member of the MCC Committee. They left Lord's on Monday for the trip which will see Fordham pitted against his former international team.

The former Yorkshire Schools player, the Airedale and Wharfedale League's first ever Joe Lumb X1 captain, captained Hong Kong whilst working in the province for a ten year spell.

The 47 year-old played for Hong Kong in the ICC World Cup and also played in numerous Hong Kong Sixes against all the best players in the world. He first played with Guiseley CC moving on to Burley-in-Wharfedale CC and then Spen Victoria in the Bradford League. He later played for and captained Yeadon CC and on his return from Hong Kong played for Bradford and Bingley CC.