Former Central Queensland University student Paul Cochrane will be the envy of cricketers around the world next week when he lines up alongside the game’s greatest ever run-scorer on a tour of the sub-continent.

Former test captain Allan Border will be the guest of honour in a combined Queensland Universities squad touring Sri Lanka and India.

The squad is made up of current students or alumni from each university in Queensland. Paul will be representing Central Queensland University, from which he graduated in 1997 with an honours degree in journalism and a management degree.

Paul grew up in the Gladstone region and played all his junior cricket with the Boyne-Tannum Cricket Club. He spent three seasons with The Glen before transferring to Rockhampton Easts for a season in 1997-98.

Paul was an editor of the University newspaper and served two years as President of Capricornia College. He then spent four years studying in Rockhampton before moving to Bundaberg in 1998, where he worked in the local media for five years with the Bundaberg News-Mail and with Seven Local News.

He played for the Brothers club in Bundaberg and was made a life-member prior to linking up with a UK club as its overseas player in March 2003. There, he went close to breaking the all-time county record for most runs and was selected to play in a southern hemisphere XI and to play against the MCC. He is currently employed as a journalist with the Norfolk Constabulary in England.

“I am still pinching myself that this opportunity has come along,” Paul, 28, said.

“I still remember vividly playing my first ever game at the Boyne Island primary school, so I guess that’s a long way removed from some of the world’s most famous grounds in India that we will be playing on.

“I have no doubt that the extra responsibility that comes with playing overseas has brought out the best in my cricket but I never thought an opportunity like this would come my way, especially now that I am nearing the end of my career.” The squad includes Queensland Bulls stars James Hopes and Chris Hartley, former Australia A paceman Greg Rowell and former South Australian Redbacks spinner Lachlan Stevens.

But Allan Border will be the tour drawcard and Paul is excited about the prospect of playing alongside the test great.

“I remember meeting AB on school assembly as a six year old and then about 15 years later I was cheering him off the Gabba after his last innings when the Bulls won the Sheffield Shield. I never in a million years would have thought that this opportunity would come along. What an experience,” Paul said.

“I am really looking forward to hearing some of the stories he has to tell about the good old days and certainly learning from him. He was the master of his day so there’s no better way to pick up a few tips.

“As well as playing I will also be working as a press officer for the tour so I have no doubt I will have a role to play there – AB is certain to be in high demand from the Indian media.”.

Griffith University Sports Initiatives Officer Michael Jeh, who is a former first-class player in England, will captain the side.

“The Queensland Government and Griffith University had an idea to raise the profile of its educational sector by introducing smart state type awareness in these key areas,” Mr Jeh said.

“On the sub-continent, cricket speaks more eloquently than any other language so we decided to touch our markets through this shared love of the game.” The squad departs Brisbane on March 23 and will take on the Sri Lankan Cricket Academy in Colombo before travelling to Chennai for the first of six games in India.

There, the itinerary includes games against the MRF Pace Academy, Mumbai Cricket Association and a Delhi Invitational XI.

The team will also play Karnataka State Cricket Association at Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore - the test ground famous for match-winning centuries by Sachin Tendulkar and Mark Waugh and the venue where both Kapil Dev and Richard Hadlee became the highest wicket-taker in test history.

The 15-day tour will also include university seminars, coaching clinics and functions with the Australian High Commissioner in Sri Lanka and the Minister for Education in Bangalore.

The entire state will be represented while abroad, with almost half of the team chosen from regional Queensland. As well as players from the Brisbane-based universities, the squad includes past or present students from James Cook University, Central Queensland University, University of Southern Queensland and Griffith University Gold Coast.

A wide range of academic disciplines have also been covered, ranging from law and media to commerce and human movement. The players will also be joined by academic representatives from some of the universities.

“It is a strong squad boasting lots of good cricketers although we'll be tested in those conditions. It is a great advertisement for guys who have combined cricket with study and succeeded both on and off the field,” Mr Jeh said.

“Allan Border’s presence is all-important. Apart from a personal friendship, he is a hero to us as well as to so many Indians and Sri Lankans, which makes him the perfect figurehead for a tour like this.”.

Indian Minerals Corporation are the naming rights sponsors for the tour, while Taj Hotels are also on board as a major sponsor. Each of the state’s universities have also contributed to the project.

The team is: Michael Jeh – captain (Griffith University), Adam Daniels, Luke Gleeson (Griffith University Gold Coast), Chris Hartley, Kiel Harvey, Lachlan Stevens, Greg Rowell (UQ) Andrew Forbes, Matthew Petrie (QUT), James Hopes (Australian Catholic University), Paul Cochrane (Central Queensland University), David Else (University of Southern Queensland), Heath Pedrola (James Cook University).