HAMPSHIRE stars Michael Carberry, Fidel Edwards, Sean Ervine and Ryan McLaren are set to go head-to-head at the Masters Champions League during the next fortnight.

The first match of the new T20 competition, which is based in the United Arab Emirates, will see Hampshire beneficiary Ervine take on the likes of Muttiah Muralitharan, Saqlain Mushtaq and Graham Onions, when the Libra Kings play the Gemini Arabians in Dubai tonight.

Edwards and Hampshire overseas signing McLaren will be in opposition when the Leo Lions play the Capricon Commanders in the tournament’s second game on Friday afternoon.

Carberry will play his first game since helping the Perth Scorchers to the Big Bash semi-finals when the Sagittarius Strikers play a Virgo Super Kings team including Owais Shah, who has freelanced for Hampshire’s T20 side for the last two seasons, former Hampshire star Neil McKenzie and his ex-South Africa teammates Graeme Smith and Jonty Rhodes.

The tournament boasts several cricketing superstars, many of whom are still playing, some of whom have retired from first-class cricket.

Carberry will have the likes of Mahela Jayawardene, Adam Gilchrist, Daniel Vettori, Mushtaq Ahmed and former Hampshire teammate Shane Bond on his side.

Ervine will be playing alongside former Hampshire teammate Michael Lumb as well as Graeme Swann, Jacques Kallis, Marcus North, Chris Read, Shaun Tait, Ryan Sidebottom and Ryan ten Doeschate.

Hampshire Chronicle:

Sean Ervine during a Libra Legends training session (@ICCAcademy/Twitter)

McLaren is in a Commanders team captained by Michael Vaughan and including Paul Collingwood, Andrew Symonds, Geraint Jones, Rikki Clarke, Ashwell Prince, Jeetan Patel, as well as former Hampshire duo Abdul Razzaq and Rory Kleinveldt.

Edwards (below, back row second from left) is part of a Lions pace attack which features two former Hampshire opening bowlers in Heath Streak and Simon Jones, as well as Darren Gough, James Franklin and all-rounder Scott Styris.

The batting is not bad either, with Brian Lara, Herschelle Gibbs, Brendan Taylor and Hamish Marshall all involved Ervine will be up against McKenzie, James Foster, Azhar Mahmood and Gareth Batty in the tournament’s first game after switching base to Sharjah next Wednesday afternoon.

 

 

The format is similar to the Big Bash and the Indian Premier League, with the six teams playing each other once.

The knockout matches will all be played in Dubai. The top four qualify for the semi-finals, which will be played on February 11/12.

The final is on Saturday, February 13.