Cleveland County departed for London yesterday on a ten-day tour geared towards preparing the team for this month's Eastern Counties final against either cup holders St.David's or Flatts.

While in England the tourists will indulge in high intensity workouts and net sessions at Ealing Cricket Club, before measuring up against local sides Hampton Wick Cricket Club, Takeley Cricket Club and Hillingdon Manor Cricket Club in a series of practice matches before returning home on August 14.

Clay Smith, Cleveland's player/coach, believes the tour will be beneficial to his team's hopes of putting an end to one of the longest cup droughts in local sporting history.

Cleveland last raised the coveted Eastern Counties showpiece in 1983.

"We are going to be doing a lot of intense work and it's going to be very beneficial to our county plans.

"I intend to make sure the tour is held in a very professional manner to get the player's minds geared for what's to come basically," Smith said.

The team are also scheduled to attend the third day of the fourth Test between hosts England and South Africa that starts at the Oval on Thursday.