By Mohamed Hamza
Students from Beckfoot School conquered the home of cricket as they were crowned champions at the Lord’s Taverners National Table Cricket Finals.
The Bradford school were one of 12 sides competing for the title in the Nursery Pavilion at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground and came out on top.
Their triumph upgraded last year's runners-up finish and teaching assistant Viv Macdonald reckons the success will live long in the memory.
“It’s been fantastic," she said. "We arrived late so the players started playing in a little bit of a haphazard manner so we thought we wouldn’t do it, but we did it, we smashed it, the students love it, and we are euphoric.
“This is the cream on the top, last year we came a very close second. This is our fourth time here so it’s fourth time lucky!
“A few of these students get a little bit shy in front of an audience and in front of their peers at assembly. This has given them a lot of confidence and it’ll take them on through life.
“Table cricket’s taught them how to perform as a team, to be a team leader, to share and it’s just wonderful how it’s given them confidence to be out in public.”
Table cricket is a fully inclusive, adapted version of the game aimed at young people living with a wide range of learning and physical disabilities played on a table tennis table. Many young people with a disability have limited opportunities to participate in sport, but table cricket provides an incredible opportunity for them to make new friends and develop life skills such as confidence and independence, while also helping them understand the importance of leadership and teamwork in competitive environments.
Much of the Lord’s Taverners work in cricket for young people with disabilities is made possible thanks to funds raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery and awarded by the Postcode Active Trust, in addition to support from the ECB and Sport England.
Watching on at Lord’s were an array of stars, including TV personality and comedian Matt Lucas as well as England cricketers Jack Leach, Anya Shrubsole, Jonny Gale and Alfie Pyle.
Leach said: “It’s a pleasure to come down and see everyone enjoying the game. It’s a great game, I had a little go and it’s quite difficult. I enjoyed seeing how competitive everyone is. It’s the national finals, it’s great for kids to be able to come here to the home of cricket to play.
“It’s everyone’s dream as a kid to play at Lord’s and for them to be able to do that is very special. We want the game to be accessible to everyone. The great work that Lord’s Taverners and the ECB have done to fund this and make it accessible is really special. Everyone deserves that chance, and it is great to see them making the most of it.”
The Lord’s Taverners impacts the lives of young people facing the challenges of inequality. The charity works across the UK and beyond to provide inclusive and impactful cricket programmes, empowering young people with disabilities and from disadvantaged communities – visit www.lordstaverners.org
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