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JULY 2015

Bedfordshire young talent ECB U15 National Club T20 Lord’s Taverners City County Under 14s captain and Bedford Cricket Club Championship County winners Cup Competition opening batsman Rahul Sheemar has been awarded a two-year place on Essex County Cricket Club’s programme. Essex academy director John Childs has been impressed with Rahul’s ability and attitude during this winter’s Emerging Player Programme (EPP), which has been run in conjunction with Cambs, Hunts and Su olk and supported by Essex CCC. Childs drew comparisons to a young Alistair Cook who, like Sheemar, attended , captained and is a left handed opener. Cook also went through the Essex Academy. Sheemar’s success doesn’t stop there: he has been selected to represent London and East at the prestigious U15 The Under 15 County Final was recently contested between Bunbury Festival despite still being under 14. The Festival, which brings together Pictured: Competition organiser Brad Matthews with man of the Match Sharks’ Yasin Khan Bedford Cricket Club and Luton Town & Indians Cricket Club with the best talent in country, has been running for 29 years and has seen 62 players The competition got underway in June with players from throughout Bedfordshire go on and play for and 702 play fi rst-class cricket. The Festival runs Bedford winning by 8 wickets. Bedford now go through to the National Knock-Out Competition. They have a bye in the fi rst round taking part in four teams – Luton Lions, Pumas, Sharks and Tigers. All teams from 27 to 31 July at Malvern College in Worcestershire. Best of luck to Rahul play each other in T20-style matches (Fridays at Luton Town and Indians CC, during this exciting time. and play the Northamptonshire winner at home on Sunday 19 July in the second round. The Under 13 fi nal between Bedford CC starting at 5.45pm). Wins so far have been Tigers (v Pumas), and Luton Town & Indians CC will be reported in the next issue. Lions (v Sharks) and Tigers (v Sharks). The competition o ers promising local cricketers the opportunity to begin a fast-track career to the professional game Bedfordshire Kwik Cricket and the best player will be awarded a contract with the MCC Young Cricketers. The Luton fi nal (the two top teams) will take place on Friday 24 July at 5.45pm at Competition Finals Lady Taverners Girls U13 and U11 Luton Town & Indians CC. A Luton select XI will then go forward to play a select Soft Ball Competition XI from Leicester in a quarter fi nal which will take place in August.

Allen Park Pavilion opening match

Pictured: Mixed competition winners Bushmead Primary School Pictured: Under 13 fi nalists Bedford CC and Flitwick CC Kwik Cricket aims to provide children of all levels of ability and experience with an opportunity to regularly participate in a fun introduction to cricket. An In the fi rst round of the U13 competition, Bedford Cricket Club beat Blunham CC and Flitwick CC came out top against Luton Town & A Bedfordshire Cricket XI was entertained by a Queens Park Cricket All Star impressive 80 boys and 80 girls took part in the Year 6 Finals Day in June at XI at the newly regenerated Allen Park recently in one of a series of events to Flitwick CC. Bushmead Primary School, Luton came out on top in the mixed Indians CC. In the fi nal Bedford CC defeated Flitwick CC and now progress to the regional competition. In the U11 competition Luton celebrate the new facility. The team from Queens Park was made up of players competition and Downside Primary School, Luton won the girls’ competition. from the area - some of whom have gone on to play at a higher level but still The winning schools will now go to the regional fi nals on 8th July. The Year 4 Town & Indians CC beat Flitwick CC and Langford CC went through to the fi nal on a bye. have their roots set in Queens Park. The Bedfordshire side contained coaches Finals took place at Bedford International Athletic Stadium with 8 schools taking of the county age groups, as well as some of the key players involved in helping part and was won by Beech Hill Community Primary School, Luton. Everyone It was great to see girls, most of whom have only just taken up to gain funding for the project, including Beds Cricket Chief Executive Martin was impressed with the standards of play and the spirit in which the game was playing the game, enjoying playing with and against all girl teams. Darlow. “It is fantastic what the community has achieved here, but this is just the played. Thank you to the clubs who entered teams this year. beginning. The future of Queens Park Cricket looks bright,” he said. Queens Park triumphed in a competitive but friendly encounter, Amaan Hussain smashing 60 in the hosts’ total of 115 for 4 from 16 overs, while Beds Cricket’s fl ailing Chance to Compete tournaments Under 15 Girls win fi rst competitive bats could only manage 80 all out in reply. There was a jovial atmosphere in the new pavilion afterwards as both sides ate homemade local food celebrating the league game successful completion of the project.

With the support of Waitrose (England Cricket Team sponsor), the ECB is encouraging clubs to host a Club Open Day this summer. Last year, over 900 clubs took part by opening their doors to their local community seeing thousands of people involved and over £480,000 raised across England and Wales. ECB Club Open Days are all about supporting clubs to welcome potential new people, whether they are players, social members, volunteers or even local sponsors. Pictured: Under 13 Mixed winners High School for Boys It’s also a fantastic way to fundraise and engage with the local community. For Bedfordshire U15 Girls County Development Squad achieved a great more information, go to: http://www.ecb.co.uk/development/club- The Chance to Shine Chance to Compete Competition is a national secondary win in their fi rst competitive league game on 23 June against a solid cricket/club-open-days/register-now,2898,BP.html. school competition aimed at giving state school children an opportunity to play Stony Stratford side. Beds lost the toss and we’re put into bat. Paris competitive cricket. Over 170 girls from across the county took part in the Under 13 Musgrove and Emily Frost opened up for the Beds girls, scoring 13 and Under 15 Girls’ Competition held at Biddenham International School & Sports runs in the fi rst 4 overs and setting their opponents a target of 178 to College, Bedford. The Under 13s was won by Linslade School, Leighton Buzzard win. Outstanding batting performances came from Katie Roberts (27 Celebrating Clubmark (with Marston Vale Middle School, Stewartby in second) and the Under 15s was won off 15 balls) and Danielle Vince (15 off 10). In reply, Stony started achievements by Samuel Whitbread Academy, She ord (with Sharnbrook Upper School in second). calmly but Roberts took charge taking 2 wickets for 8 runs in her Bedfordshire Cricket is pleased to announce that Aspley Town Cricket Club hosted the Under 13 Mixed Chance to Compete with 5 3 overs, backed up by some great fi elding displays from the girls. Guise Cricket Club has recently achieved ECB Clubmark schools taking part. Challney High School for Boys, Luton won with Alameda Middle Frost thwarted a comeback from Stony, leaving them needing 16 status. Bedfordshire now has 22 Clubmarked clubs School, Ampthill in second. The Under 15 Mixed Chance to Compete took place at runs o the last over. Final score: Beds 177-4, Stony 163-4. Mowsbury Park, Bedford with 6 schools taking part and was won again by Challney and a further 11 that are working towards accreditation. High Schools for Boys. Winners now go on to represent Bedfordshire at the regional These clubs join a growing number across England and fi nals on 6 July at Springfi eld CC in Essex. Wales that are prioritising junior development, creating a benchmark for high-quality community club cricket.

Thank your volunteers There’s still time to nominate your volunteers for a NatWest OSCA – an Outstanding Service to Cricket Award – to reward them for the contribution that they make to the game. Category winners are put forward to be selected to attend the prestigious ECB National OSCAs Dinner at Lord’s which takes place in October. All National Cricket Playing Survey clubs, leagues and associations are invited to send in their nominations by Friday 17 July – for details of nomination categories and criteria, and a nomination 4Counties U19s T20 for clubs in 2015 Bedfordshire Cricket is calling on every player (male and female), form, please go to: http://www.bedscricket.co.uk/page/volunteers/ The competition is now underway and you can follow it on Twitter @ spectator and volunteer in Bedfordshire to have their say and oscas/oscas-2673/. U19T20comp or go to the website at: http://ecbu19clubt20.play- infl uence the future of the game at grassroots level in the ECB’s third cricket.com//. The 4Counties competition includes teams from Beds, Cambs, annual National Cricket Playing Survey. This year’s survey is the Hunts and Bucks. fi rst to include questions exclusively for female cricketers. Players completing the Survey at www.ecb.co.uk/survey have the Asian Cricket Awards chance to win prizes! These include signed merchandise and pairs The ECB will host a celebration of the contribution of tickets to Investec Ashes Series and Royal London ODIs. The made to sport by British Asian players, coaches survey closes on 15 July. and administrators at the Asian Cricket Awards, sponsored by Talk Home Mobile, on Tuesday 13 October 2015. Nominations are open until Bedfordshire 11pm on Monday 17 August. For awards County Cricket Club criteria and to complete a nomination form go to: www.asiancricketawards.co.uk July/August Fixtures

Sun 12 July National Unicorns T20 Finals Day Coach Education 2015/16 at Banbury CC Bedfordshire Cricket’s Coach Education programme for 2015/2016 is now open Sun 19 July vs Cumberland at Bedford School for applications. Coach Support Worker courses will run in October and Bedfordshire Cricket, in association with Bedfordshire & Luton Crimebeat, is January and there will be two ECB Certifi cate in Coaching Children running two cricket summer camps, open to boys and girls: Monday 3 to Sun 2 August vs Su olk at Ipswich School courses, one starting in October (evening) and the other starting in January Friday 7 August at Biggleswade Town Cricket Club 9.30am- (Saturday). There will also be a range of Coach Education Workshops on o er. For 3.30pm (ages 8 to16) and Monday 17-Friday 21 August at Leighton Sun 16 August vs Northumberland at Luton Town & Indians CC further details go to: http://www.bedscricket.co.uk/page/coaching/ Buzzard Cricket Club 9.30am-12pm (ages 8-12) and 1-3.30pm coach-education-programme-2015/coach-education- (ages 13-16) . The focus of these events is having fun and there will be di erent Further details at: programme-2015-2676/ or contact Brad Matthews on 07884 060907 or cricket activities each day. For further information and to register you place, http://bedfordshireccc.play-cricket.com/ [email protected]. please email [email protected].

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Sally Church, Editor Martin Darlow, Chief Executive Telephone: 01767 626223 • Email: [email protected] • The Mansion House, Old Warden Park, Bedfordshire SG18 9DX Email: [email protected] • Mobile: 07760 171467