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    Harper Adams Students Represents Ireland in the Cricket World Cup

    Posted 24 April 2007

    Harper Adams University College final year student Boyd Rankin has been representing Ireland at the ICC World Cup 2007 in the West Indies.Boyd, 22, who burst onto the international cricketing scene, joined Harper Adams in September 2003 to study for a BSc (Hons) Agriculture with Mechanisation. He has successfully completed 3 years of his course, including an industrial placement year.

    The Harper Adams student who started playing cricket at the age of eight has also been awarded the BBC Radio Foyle / Bank of Ireland Sports Personality of the Month Award. During the month of March the 6ft 8in star started his World Cup in tremendous style by dismissing Terrance Duffin, Zimbabwe’s opener for 1-43 and continued his dazzling performance when dismissing 3-32 in the infamous Pakistan victory. His fine form strongly contributed to Ireland’s passage to the Super Eights.   


    The Ireland fast-bowler, who is from a beef and sheep farm, is currently in the West Indies instead of helping his father with spring lambing! The farmer’s son from Bready, Northern Ireland, comes from a household of farming and cricket. His father played for Bready, his younger brothers Robert and David have represented Ireland at the Under-19 World Cup and sister Jemma also plays.  


    Whilst studying at Harper Adams, former England seam-bowler, Mike Hendrick invited Boyd to the nets at Derbyshire Cricket Club. The Derbyshire Coach who was coaching the Irish team at the time was impressed with Boyd’s performance.


    The farmer’s son is hoping to secure a contract with Derbyshire for the next season, having been a member of the Middlesex team for a couple of summers.


    Harper Adams Principal, Professor Wynne Jones said "We are immensely proud to have one of our students playing at world-class level and making such an impact. Boyd has a great sporting future ahead of him."


    There is no doubt that he will always be conscious of his farming role and background. He is reported to have said ‘As for farming, I’ll be doing that for the next 30–40 years.’ 

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