Sunday 4th July was a particularly blustery summer day, but this did nothing to deter the eighty disabled cricket fans who arrived at Emirates Durham. The day started in the Riverside Lounge where youngsters and their families were given the opportunity to play Table Cricket – a form of the game adapted to allow players with various levels and types of disability to play together either as a team or against each other.
After a few increasingly competitive games of table cricket the youngsters were given the opportunity to test their skills, or learn new ones on the Emirates Durham ICG field. A team of coaches, led by Chris Siddell (Club and Coach Development Officer at the Durham Cricket Board), held a fielding skills master class where the youngsters were put through their paces with some catching skills and games, and got the chance to test themselves against each other in teams and as individuals in target throwing and bowling games.
After a short break for lunch it was back out onto the field for more cricket as the group were put through their paces with the bat. Getting the chance to smash the ball over the boundary at an International Cricket Ground was definitely the highlight for most as seven groups rotated around trying out different batting shots and hitting targets.
The remainder of the afternoon was a little more competitive as youngsters all took part in Continuous Cricket matches before getting the chance to take in a Durham v Yorkshire match. Visually Impaired teams from each County took to the field in what was hopefully the first of many matches for the new Durham Visually Impaired team.
Playing with a taller stumps and a specially adapted ball filled with ball bearings, the two teams amazed the crowd with some fantastic cricket shots and spectacular fielding.
Event organiser and Durham Cricket Board Disability Officer Ron Young was extremely happy with how the day went: ‘I would like to offer a special thank you to nPower, whose support made this day possible, and of course the many coaches and volunteers who were here at the ground to help. We have been amazed by the amount of interest we have had in Disability Cricket in recent months and hope that this Fun Day is the first of many successful events in the region aimed at Disability Cricket and Sport.’