Ability Cricket Latest Update

VI Cricket

Staffordshire Wolves travelled to play Herefordshire in the ECB Visual Impairment Regional League on Sunday 16th May and finished with a creditable draw chasing the Bulldogs 250 for 4 wickets, the Wolves scored 217 for 5 wickets with Mazen Malik and Mohammed Janaid retiring with half-centuries,.

The Wolves then concluded a busy month by hosting their first home League fixture at Wolverhampton CC on Sunday 22nd May against rivals Lancashire Lions, despite the new match shirts sponsored by local company, PayCare, the Wolves couldn’t hold the Lions attacking batsmen from scoring 245 for 8 wickets, in reply, the Wolves struggled against some very tight bowling and the final wicket went down with e score on 121, Mohammed Janaid recorded figures of 5 wickets for 16 runs for the Wolves and he top-scored with 18 runs.

Outdoor training sessions are taking place at Wolverhampton CC in preparation for the League fixtures – new players are always very welcome.

ECB Super9s

Unfortunately Lancashire conceded their ECB Super9s Incrediball fixture against our Ability Cricket team but we then entertained the Yorkshire Terriers at Eccleshall CC on Sunday 15th May. Yorkshire scored 128 from their 30 overs and  Staffordshire were all out off the final ball of their innings for 83, an exciting game played with great camaraderie – we entertain Derbyshire next month at Moddershall CC on 5th June and will be travelling to a T10 tournament organised by Warwickshire the following Sunday.

Outdoor training has started at Newcastle & Hartshill CC on Saturday mornings, 9.30-11.00am on a fortnightly basis.

Ability Cricket Clubs

Sessions have already started at Moddershall CC with the guys from Club 101 on Thursday afternoons, 1.00-2.30pm every week, we look forward to another visit from the Princes Trust later in the Summer.

Lichfield CC is the venue every other Thursday evening, 23rd June, and Tutbury CC every other Saturday morning, 25th June, all groups run through the Summer.

You would be very welcome to come along and have a go, meet new people and make friends in a safe, fun environment.

Focus On Feature

This month an article from Andy Causton, one of the founder members of the Staffordshire Wolves Visually Impaired Cricket Team based at Wolverhampton CC –

My name is Andy Causton.

 I have been blind since birth and have been interested in cricket since aged ten; when a school friend tuned into Test Match Special and then showed me how to play.  For the next two years we played outside regularly until I changed schools. 

Though I continued to follow Cricket on the radio, I did not play again until 18 months ago  when a taster session was organised by Mike Elphick and Steve Lightfoot.  This was held at Wolverhampton Cricket Club in August 2014.  Not having played for 20 years, I was a bit rusty but I enjoyed myself. 

I then took part in a friendly versus Lancashire Lions (one of the best visually-impaired teams) two weeks later. 

After this match a team was formed which I helped promote through interviews on local and national media and attending exhibitions and open days aimed at visually-impaired people.

When I joined Staffordshire Wolves, I had just been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) so wanted to find a way to stay fit and have fun. This opportunity was too good to miss and I quickly began to notice the benefits.  MS causes fatigue but I find playing cricket for two/three hours helps reduce this; as well as the tingling I feel in my fingers. 

I have also made lots of friends and have even met school friends I had not seen for over 20 years.

In addition, I have recently organised extra training; both in the nets and in a local park.

Overall then, playing cricket has improved my physical health, helped me make new friends and allowed me to give back to the team through recruiting and facilitating training.

Andy is pictured practising his batting, (picture courtesy of the Express and Star): please click here to view the picture.

Coaching in Schools

This month has seen children at Hednesford Valley, Two Rivers, Abbey Hill, Marshlands, Cedars, Water Mill, Walton Hall and Penn Fields Special Schools benefitting from coaching in curriculum time, building up to schools competitions later in the Summer.

Contact our Disability Cricket Officer, Steve Lightfoot for more information, 07789 265618 or s.lightfoot@staffordshirecricket.co.uk