Pupils from Woodlands High School had a day to remember last week as they travelled to London to take part in the Lord’s Taverners National Table Cricket Finals.
The Cardiff school’s side were one of nine to compete in the Nursery Pavilion, at Lord’s Cricket Ground, for the right to call themselves national champions.
The event, which was made possible thanks to the support of players of the People’s Postcode Lottery and Ford, is now in its 19th year and, working with 30 county cricket boards across the UK, more than 300 schools took part in the 10 regional heats to qualify for the finals.
Woodlands eventually finished seventh in the finals and PE teacher Kieran Evans was thrilled at how table cricket has helped his school pupils flourish.
“Table cricket has helped the pupils so much it is unbelievable. They love the competition element and enjoy practicing once or twice a week,” said Evans.
“They really enjoy playing the sport and it’s so accessible because it caters for all the pupils needs. It brings them all together in a special way and the buzz around the building is fantastic.”
Played on a table tennis table with side panels and sliding fielders, a ball launcher, weighted plastic ball and wooden bat, table cricket enables young people with severe physical and learning disabilities to enjoy cricket and represent their school on a competitive basis.
The game not only gives opportunities for competitive play and social integrations, it also improves life-skills including self-confidence, independence and social skills and Mr Evans paid tribute to the work by the Lord’s Taverners to help grow the game.
“They have helped children to access sport and it doesn’t matter what ability people have they can still turn up and play,” said Evans.
“The children have played at the Welsh Parliament and the Swalec Stadium and that would not have been possible without the Taverners so it’s amazing the work they have done.”
Pupil Chelsey Rees, 16, added: “It was really exciting to play at Lord’s. I enjoy batting the most and hitting the ball for six. We want to win but we are here to have lots of fun.”
Watching on as the school competed at Lord’s was Radio 1 DJ, cricket lover and member of Lord’s Taverners Greg James.
“I’ve never seen table cricket before on this sort of scale and it’s been brilliant,” he said.
“I’ve seen it in videos and heard all about it, but to see hundreds of kids from all over the country in one place, just enjoying it and having a day playing cricket at Lord’s, it doesn’t really get any better than that.
“There are kids who love cricket, but also some who just like the team element of it all, the community aspect.
“What I love about it, is that it’s not exclusive to people and it has its own fans.”
The Lord’s Taverners is the UK’s leading youth cricket and disability sports charity whose aim is to give disadvantaged and disabled young people a sporting chance – go to www.lordstaverners.org to find out more.