England play host to inaugural Ashes Series for the blind

11 June 2004

England will play host to the inaugural ECB/Sport England Ashes Series this August.

The series will consist of five one-day internationals of 40 overs a side. International Blind Cricket is usually played using the limited over format.

Both squads will be based at Bradfield College in Berkshire and meet up on Thursday August 19. The Australians’ visit to England kicks off with the Berkshire Trophy Centre 7-a-side indoor tournament on Friday August 20 at Bradfield College. The following day both squads will attend the British Blind Sport and Primary Club Knockout Cup final at Lord’s.

The Ashes Series starts with the first game at Bradfield College on Sunday August 22. Following the first game there will be a small ceremony, where a stump from this first game will be burned; a stump will be used as bails are not used in Blind Cricket.

The ashes will then be placed in the Ashes Trophy and sealed. The ceremony will be performed by Peter Donavan, Chairman of The World Blind Cricket Council. The remaining four games will be played at the following venues:

Monday 23 – Lord’s
Wednesday 25 - The Rose Bowl, Hampshire
Thursday 26 - Horsham Cricket Club
Saturday 28 – Bradfield College

After the final game there will be a presentation evening where the Ashes Trophy, medals and other awards will be presented by Michael L’Estrange, the Australian High Commissioner.

All games start at 10:30am and admission to all games is free.

The Series is sponsored by ECB/Sport England, the trophies by The Brian Johnston Memorial Trust, and other sponsors include:

MCC
Carphone Warehouse
Lloyds TSB
The Berkshire Trophy Centre Reading
Cricket World
Barracuda Inns
The Calcot Hotel Reading
Cookerburra Oven Cleaning Servicies Uk Ltd
Hampshire CCC
Horsham CC