A new national tape ball competition launched by the ECB is a “brilliant” way to get people involved in the game – and could uncover some stars of the future, believes Adil Rashid.
England Men’s world no.1 T20 bowler Rashid was among the England Women’s, Men’s and Disability stars who attended a launch event in Birmingham for the ECB’s new National Core Cities Tape Ball Competition recently.
With tape ball having played a big part in his own development as a cricketer, it is a subject about which Rashid feels passionate. He believes the new scheme will not only attract more young people into the game, but could also unearth a jewel or two to follow him into international cricket.
“We’ve seen it happen,” he says. “If somebody is bowling rockets with a tape ball, then give him or her a cricket ball and they will do something similar. That’s what happened to Haris Rauf. He was bowling quick with a tape ball and the next thing you know he’s playing for Pakistan and in the Pakistan Super League.
“I used to play tape ball in the street with my brothers and it would get really competitive. We started off with a tennis ball and a bat in the garden or the driveway and it was the same concept. Then, as time went on, we put a bit of tape on it.
“It’s such a great format of the game. It can be played anywhere by anyone and that’s what cricket should be about. All that’s required is a ball, a bat and a piece of tape. Cricket can get quite expensive but this is a way that everyone can play the game, enjoy it, express themselves and see if they can go further.
“It's really important to give people across the country the opportunity to play cricket so it's brilliant that there's now a national tape ball competition.”
The launch event in Birmingham featured a festival of tape ball cricket with kids from Chance To Shine and adults competing to a backdrop of local South Asian food and entertainment. The message was clear: cricket is for everyone and can be played and enjoyed anywhere and at almost no cost.
The new competition aims to provide an outlet for the huge passion for cricket which exists in the diverse urban communities across the UK. Tape ball cricket originated in Pakistan and is now played across that country and all over the world, often within South Asian communities. A tennis ball is taped up to create swing and bounce, offering all the variations of a cricket ball but without the need for protective equipment as the ball remains soft. The game can be played on any surface, in any area, making it widely accessible and popular.
The format was identified as a key area for potential growth of the game at the ECB’s Core Cities Summit last November because of its accessible nature. Now the National Core Cities Tape Ball Competition will raise its profile. Matches will be played in each of the Core Cities – Birmingham, Bradford, Kirklees, Leeds, Leicester, London (Middlesex, Essex and Surrey), Luton, Manchester, Sandwell, Slough and Nottingham – in separate women’s and men’s leagues.
England Women’s captain Heather Knight, who was also at the launch event, says: “Any avenue which brings new people into the game is really important. Cricket knows it needs to be more accessible. Chance To Shine is heavily involved and does lots of fantastic stuff and this tape ball competition just adds to that. This can bring lots of different people into the game, which is really cool. Tape ball is brilliant because it’s a game where you don’t need a lot of money or equipment to play. Just a tennis ball and a bit of tape and a bat and you can play it wherever.”
ECB Managing Director of the Recreational Game, Leshia Hawkins, adds: “Tape ball is such an exciting and accessible form of cricket. Born on the streets of Karachi, it's already played passionately in many communities across England and Wales.
“As we continue our collective efforts to make cricket the most inclusive team sport in England and Wales, this new competition will give players an extra chance to showcase and hone their skills.”
The competition launch took place in the build-up to England Women’s and Men’s joint upcoming series against Pakistan, which starts with the Women’s T20I at Edgbaston on May 11th.
“The British Pakistani community is cricket mad,” added Rashid. “The game unites us and the upcoming series is going to be incredible for the players and fans.”
To find out more about tape ball cricket or the new competition please visit www.ecb.co.uk/tapeball.
For tickets for the England Women series against Pakistan Women, please visit www.ecb.co.uk/tickets/England
This article appeared in this week's edition of The Cricket Paper.