Turning the tables

The line-up for the Lord’s Taverners National Table Cricket Finals day is now confirmed with young people with a disability from schools across the UK set to travel to the home of cricket on Thursday June 27 to compete for the coveted national title

The Cricketer | 21/06/2024 at 10:51

Table cricket is a fully inclusive, adapted form of cricket played on a table tennis table aimed at young people living with a wide range of learning and physical disabilities.

Many young people with a disability have limited opportunities to participate in sport, but table cricket provides an incredible opportunity for these young people 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.

The Lord’s Taverners national table cricket competition sees young people with disabilities representing special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) schools from across the country throughout the winter months, looking to book their place at the prestigious National Table Cricket Finals day, which for some will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground.

Some participants will have never been to London before, let alone play at such an iconic cricketing venue. Experiences such as travelling and staying away from home overnight are things many of the young people participating will be enjoying for the first time, making the occasion a memorable and vital life experience.

The regional competitions that decide who qualifies for National Finals Day to represent each region, took place from April 16-26, with some of these competitions taking place at international cricket grounds such as Edgbaston and Headingley. These competitions saw nearly 70 schools and more than 500 young people with a disability taking part, representing 37 counties.

On Finals Day we will have a representative from each of the North-East, North-West, Yorkshire, London & Thames Valley, South-East, East Anglia, South-West, East Midlands, West Midlands, Scotland and Wales.

The team representing Scotland have a particularly interesting story to tell. After qualifying for National Finals Day in 2023, they were unfortunately not able to participate after their flight was delayed. But they were so determined to be part of the day and visit Lord’s, they still decided to take their delayed flight and only arrived at the ground just in time for the end of day presentations. The charity looks forward to welcoming them back this year and seeing them compete for the entirety of Finals Day this time around.

The schools who have qualified for National finals day:

• Fairfax School (West Midlands)

• Beckfoot School (Yorkshire)

• Cambian Whinfell School (Cumbria)

• Wirral Grammar School (Cheshire)

• Sandfield Park School (Lancs)

• Helston Community College (Cornwall)

• Parkwood School (Kent)

• Chiltern Academy (Bedfordshire)

• Eastern Education Group (Suffolk)

• Beech Academy (Notts)

• Falkirk School (Scotland)