Final countdown

9 September 2008

The ECB and The British Association for Cricketers with Disabilities will stage the 2008 County Hard Ball Final at the Walmley Cricket Club on Sunday.

Northern Section winners Cheshire will meet Hampshire in what promises to be an entertaining and competitive match. Both counties are unbeaten this season and boast an impressive tally of batting and bowling points. As previous finalists they will understand the pressure and importance of the occasion.

Key players to watch out for are Cheshire’s amputee all-rounder Jimmy Williams and England Learning Disability squad member Chris Edwards. Hampshire have some dangerous players of their own in Gavin Randall, Lee Jay and Jamie Legg.

This final brings to a close the tenth season of the BACD County Championship, a tournament that has been dominated over the years by strong Lancashire sides. Only Wales, Isle of Wight and Warwickshire have been able to take the trophy away from the Red Rose county over the years so it is refreshing to see that a new name will go on the trophy this year.

The competition is the only structured tournament for cricketers with physical and learning disabilities anywhere in the world and it has seen steady growth over the last ten years.

The introduction of the use of the standard hard cricket ball in 2006 has inevitably led to increased standards of play and the need for a two-tier competition with one league using the hard ball and the other using a softer 'Incrediball'.

This year has seen the organisation form even closer links with ECB. The signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between BACD and ECB ensures that the financing of the County Championship is assured and we can look forward to a future of cricket that is structured, financially secure and remains the envy of many other countries.