Disability cricket heads south

The Rose Bowl

Venues around the south of England have been announced for the ECB Tri-Nations Tournament for cricketers with learning disabilities.

It follows a successful tournament held in November 2005 in Cape Town, when players with learning disabilities first had the opportunity to represent their country in an international tournament.

The Rose Bowl hosts the first two games of the tournament and Jeff Levick, co-ordinator for disabled cricket in Hampshire said: “There is no real reason that players with learning disabilities should not become excellent players.”

“The biggest problems they face are caused by short attention spans and the difficulty in recalling complex actions and situations. This means that cricket imposes really hard disciplines and more application and repetition for them than for the rest of us.”

Levick added: “The fact that we have a third of the total squad from this area reflects well on the great efforts put in during that time by the cricket coaches on the mainland and on the island, who aim to provide a cricketing future for all.”

Over the past three years the Rose Bowl has staged the disability county final twice, a match from the Blind Ashes series and are planning to launch the Hampshire Under-19 visually impaired team with matches against Surrey and Sussex in July.

Hampshire director of cricket Tim Tremlett added: “Hampshire Cricket is delighted to be hosting the Tri-Nation learning disabilities tournament and hopes that everybody involved with the event enjoys their Rose Bowl experience.”

There will be a demonstration of coaching in special schools before the game on June 7.

Schedule for Tri-Nations Tournament

June 6: England v Australia, Rose Bowl
June 7: Australia v South Africa, Rose Bowl
June 8: England v South Africa, Lord’s nursery ground
June 11: South Africa v Australia, Hove
June 12: England v South Africa, Hove
June 14: England v Australia, Arundel
June 15: Final, Arundel

All matches start at 11am.