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Rain causes draw for England and Australia in cricket Tri-Nations

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A cricket player celebrates

Credit: ECB

By England and Wales Cricket Board

The second match of the World Intellectual Impairment Sport Tri-Nations between England and Australia was lost to the weather at Grappenhall Cricket Club in Cheshire, Great Britain, on Tuesday (11 July), with just 21 overs possible on a frustrating day.

It was enough time though for England’s Alex Jervis, the 22-year-old seamer from Clumber Park in Nottinghamshire who represents Yorkshire, to follow up his five for 46 against South Africa from Monday (10 July) with a mightily impressive three for 19 from his five overs.

That display helped England restrict Australia to 110-4 from the 21 overs. But Australian captain and opener Gavan Hicks had provided a hint of his talents, making 36 from 43 balls before being sensationally caught by Lee Stenning – the highlight of the play that was possible.

An early lunch was called at 1.35pm, when the third spell of light rain arrived, but that rain became torrential during the interval and play was abandoned at 2.24pm. Both teams took a point.

All matches in the 40-over and T20 tournament are being played at grounds across Cheshire.

Australia move on to Nantwich CC to take on South Africa on Wednesday (12 July), with both sides looking for their first win of the series. England are back in action on Thursday (13 July) when they take on South Africa at Bramhall CC.

Speaking after the match was abandoned, England captain Chris Edwards said: “Weather unfortunately beat us, which is a bit frustrating because we were making good inroads and fighting back well. First 20 overs I thought we bowled well early doors, contained them fairly well.

“It was wet from overnight rain but it was firm and the wicket played true and well.

“A win yesterday [Monday] was very important for us. To not get any result out of today means it will be very interesting going in to Thursday and Friday. Also how tomorrow’s [Wednesday] result pans out as well.

“For us it’s about working hard now on Thursday and Friday and using that energy we could perhaps have used today.

“Australia look very good batting at the top of the order. They got off to a really good start. We had some opportunities that didn’t quite go to hand but we pushed back well against them.”

Edwards was also full of praise for seamer Jervis: “He’s hungry for wickets. He’s got that enthusiasm that rubs off on the rest of the team. That self belief and determination he’s worked so hard for and it’s starting to pay rewards in these first two games.”

Australia skipper Hicks said: “It is frustrating. The first few days we were here were absolutely glorious and now we try to play cricket and it’s a completely different matter. But you can’t control the weather.

“It was very competitive. Good wicket, the ground was quick enough even with the rain on it. It would have been a pretty good match if it had gone ahead.

“It was nice to have a hit and get used to English conditions and the way the pitches are a bit different to home. It was nice to get a few in the middle, unfortunately got out and the weather set in.

“England are very disciplined in the way that they go with their bowling. They set very straight fields and make you make the mistakes. Very good batting order too, especially their top four. It’s always a good battle against them and I’m looking forward to the next match.

“We’ll certainly be wary of Alex Jervis next time we play them.

“We played a practice match against South Africa. They’ve had five guys from a previous tournament so it was good to face them again. You never know what you’re going to get, they’re athletes and it should be a good game tomorrow.”

The 2017 World Intellectual Impairment Sport Tri-Nations features a series of 40-over and T20 games between hosts England, Australia and South Africa. Matches are being played at grounds across Cheshire until 21 July.

Live scoring is available throughout at the England and Wales Cricket Board website.

Jervis stars for England in cricket Tri-Nations opening win

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A cricket player takes applause

Alex Jervis and Dan Bowser combined to earn England a comfortable win in the first game of the International Federation for Intellectual Disability Sport (World Intellectual Impairment Sport) Cricket Tri-Nations at a blustery Chester Boughton Hall in Cheshire on Monday (10 July).

Jervis, a 22-year-old seamer who plays club cricket for Clumber Park in Nottinghamshire but represents Yorkshire, took five for 46 as South Africa lost momentum after a flying start.

Then Bowser, a powerful left-hander from Devon who has played second team cricket for Leicestershire and Somerset, made short work of the target with an unbeaten 84 from 56 balls, as England cruised home with six wickets and more than 15 of their 40 overs to spare.

“It’s a very good start to the series for us,” said Jervis, who was named man of the match after claiming his first five-wicket haul for England.

“We were a little bit over-excited in the first few overs but after that we calmed down and played well. Taking five wickets for England is a great feeling but I had great support from the bowlers at the other end and also our fielding. And Dan Bowser played some great shots to give us a perfect start.

“Now we are looking forward to meeting up with some old friends in our first game against Australia.”

That game will be played at Grappenhall on Tuesday (11 July), and another victory would leave England on the brink of qualification for the 40-over Tri-Series final at Neston next Monday (17 July) – before the three teams play a T20 Tri-Nations over the next four days.

Tayler Young, a tall fast bowler from Chessington in Surrey, provided a spectacular start to the two weeks of competition, uprooting the off stump of opener Keketso Chabedi with a superb delivery after South Africa had won the toss and chosen to bat.

But England were then thrust on to the back foot by a second-wicket stand of 80 inside nine overs between Phaphama Mthana and Eldrich George.

A squally rain shower gave them a chance to regroup, and it was Young again who broke the partnership with the wicket of George, a left-hander who hit 10 fours in racing to 44 from 30 balls – but was brilliantly caught by Jonny Gale low down at backward point.

Then Jervis took over, claiming five of the next six wickets as skipper Chris Edwards let him bowl his eight-over allocation in a single spell.

Mthana was the first to go lbw, before Mzwandile Mhlongo drove to Matt Cowdery at mid-off.

Matt Browne, another of the five Surrey-based players in the team, interrupted the Jervis show with a beauty to bowl Ayanda Kolisi, a wicket which was the least his bustling spell deserved on an impressive debut.

South Africa’s captain Jan Makololo counter-attacked with a big six off Jervis before he was the victim of another fine catch, this time by Bowser at extra cover.

Jack Perry, a teenage wicketkeeper making his England debut in his home county – and looking forward to playing at his home club of Oxton later in the series – claimed Winston Johnson as his first victim standing up to Jervis.

Browne and Edwards then polished off the last couple of wickets, meaning South Africa had lost their last nine for 81.

But England made a nervous start to their reply, with Gale surviving one dropped catch before he was out for 10, driving to mid-off.

Edwards, England’s experienced captain who was on familiar territory near his base on the Wirral, seemed determined to play patiently but he fell for 11 in the 10th over.

Then Lee Stenning went lbw to Makololo, and England were wobbling slightly at 86 for three.

But Bowser, who also spent his early years on the Wirral before moving to the south-west where he now plays and coaches at the North Devon club, eased their nerves by hitting regular boundaries all around the wicket. He reached his half century from only 32 balls and continued to dominate the scoring as Yorkshire’s Rob Hewitt played a sensible supporting role in a fourth-wicket stand of 74 in 10 overs.

Hewitt fell for 20 with only 14 runs required but Bowser completed the job with a flurry of boundaries. “I’m just pleased to be enjoying my cricket again,” he said afterwards. “But the credit today should go to Alex Jervis, for taking those five wickets.”

The 2017 World Intellectual Impairment Sport Tri-Nations features a series of 40-over and T20 games between hosts England, Australia and South Africa. Matches are being played at grounds across Cheshire until 21 July.

Live scoring is available throughout at the England and Wales Cricket Board website.

Tri-Nations to get underway with England v South Africa

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By England and Wales Cricket Board

It is a long way from Lord’s to Chester Boughton Hall – but Chris Edwards and his team will be representing England with as much pride as Joe Root and co when they face South Africa in the first match of the International Federation for Intellectual Disability Sport (World Intellectual Impairment Sport) Tri-Nations, also involving Australia, on Monday (10 July).

It will be an especially significant occasion for Edwards, a mainstay of a dominant period for England against their rivals, as Chester is so close to his cricketing roots on the Wirral.

“It’s a dream come true to have an international series right on your doorstep,” the 24-year-old told the mini-magazine that has been produced to accompany the series – which itself provides tangible evidence of the growing stature of cricket for athletes with an intellectual impairments, and the England team, with the series also being supported by British bank NatWest.

It is only 12 years since they played for the first time, in a series involving the same three nations in Cape Town, South Africa.

Australia won that series, and the two that followed in 2007 and 2009 – when Edwards made his debut, at the age of 17.

So he was well-established by 2011, when the Tri-Nations returned to South Africa and England were crowned champions for the first time after winning the final in Kimberley.

And two years ago Edwards led from the front in Australia as England won a bilateral series 5-1 – rounding things off with a century in Melbourne.

This time Derek Morgan’s team will have home advantage on a number of leafy Premier League grounds around Cheshire, with the first phase of two weeks of competition involving 40-over matches before the action switches to T20.

After the opener in Chester, England face Australia in Grappenhall near Warrington on Tuesday (11 July), with return matches against South Africa in Bramhall, and the Aussies at Tattenhall, on Thursday and Friday (13-14 July).

They will then hope to be involved in the final in Neston, even nearer to Edwards’ home club ground of Caldy, on Monday 17 July – with the two Australia-South Africa matches in the Tri-Nations being staged at Nantwich on Wednesday, and Oxton on Sunday (16 July).

The T20 competition involves three double-headers, starting at Toft near Knutsford on Tuesday 18 July.

England play both South Africa and Australia the following day, back at Chester Boughton Hall, before the series returns to Oxton and then finally to Nantwich on Wednesday 21 July.

“What an exciting and competitive two weeks of cricket we have in prospect,” said Ian Martin, the England and Wales Cricket Board’s (ECB’s) Head of Disability Cricket, also expressing his gratitude to those who have helped to stage an Opening Ceremony and cap presentation night on Sunday at the beautiful Cranage Hall.

“ECB would like to thank the Cheshire Cricket Board and the hosting clubs as well as Richard Morrell and his team at Cranage Estate for all their help in making this event a success. We can’t wait to watch some fantastic cricket at the wonderful venues across Cheshire that are hosting the matches.

“We hope that this tournament will be a fantastic advert for our sport. Our aim is to raise the profile of disability cricket for all cricket fans, no matter their background or challenges in life.

England’s team is drawn from all parts of the country. Dan Bowser, a 29-year-old from Devon, made a major impact in Australia two years ago.

Alex Jervis and Robert Hewitt will be the Yorkshire voices in the squad, with Thomas Wilson ensuring Lancashire representation.

Wilson is one of four uncapped players with Dan Thomas of Essex, Jack Perry – who is from Oxton so will be playing on home territory like Edwards – and Matt Browne of Ashtead, one of five Surrey-based players in the squad.

Match schedule

10 July: England v South Africa, Chester Boughton Hall CC (40 over)
11 July: England v Australia, Grappenhall CC (40 over)
12 July: South Africa v Australia, Nantwich CC (40 over)
13 July: South Africa v England, Bramhall CC (40 over)
14 July: Australia v England, Tattenhall CC (40 over)
16 July: South Africa v Australia, Oxton CC (40 over)
17 July: Final, Neston CC (40 over)
18 July: England v Australia and Australia v South Africa, Toft CC (T20)
19 July: South Africa v England and England v Australia, Chester Boughton Hall CC (T20)
20 July: England v South Africa and South Africa v Australia, Oxton CC (T20)
21 July: Final, Nantwich CC (T20)

Assistant coach Dodd ready for cricket Tri-Nations

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A batsman and a wicket keeper

 

By University of the Sunshine Coast

A student is helping a national team take on the ‘Old Enemy’ after being appointed to the coaching staff of the Australian cricket team for players with an intellectual impairment.

Nathan Dodd, 37, was named assistant coach for the team, which is in the final build-up to the biennial International Federation for Intellectual Disability Sport (World Intellectual Impairment Sport) Cricket Tri Nations against South Africa and England from 9-21 July.

Dodd previously played as an opening batsman for the Kent and Worcester county cricket teams and worked in finance before enrolling at the University of the Sunshine Coast (USC) in Queensland three years ago.

He said he was delighted to have been chosen by Cricket Australia for the international tournament, and was confident his team would perform well:

“Inclusive cricket is something that the major sporting bodies are really starting to get behind, and there’s a real buzz around this tournament. It’s fantastic to be coaching on an international tour while I’m still studying.

“Generally, I don’t coach the players with an intellectual disability any differently to how I would treat any other first-grade cricketer. They just want to be considered as athletes.

“Communication-wise, I tweak things a little bit, but you do that in every team, because everyone learns in different ways.”

Dodd will hone the team’s performance throughout the three-week tournament, which will include four one-day matches, followed by a run of four Twenty20 match-ups.

He aims to use the skills he has gained in his USC degree to build a career in coaching at a national or international level.

“Coaching is a competitive field and I wanted to make sure the knowledge that I could bring to a team would be first-rate,” he said. “That’s why I decided to study sport and exercise science at USC.

“I believe that having that thorough understanding around strength and conditioning, injury recovery, statistics and performance analysis can really set me apart.

“I’ve only got one semester left, and after that I’m hoping to gain a full-time position in the coaching field – potentially in youth or women’s cricket.”

The 2017 World Intellectual Impairment Sport Cricket Tri-Nations will take place at grounds across the county of Cheshire in Great Britain. More information, including the full list of fixtures, is available at World Intellectual Impairment Sport’ website.

Australia announce squad for World Intellectual Impairment Sport Cricket Tri-Nations

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A batsman and a wicket keeper

By Cricket Australia

Cricket Australia has selected a 14 player squad for the International Federation for Intellectual Disability Sport (World Intellectual Impairment Sport) Tri-Nations to be held from the 9-21 July in Cheshire, Great Britain.  The tournament will bring together the best cricketers with an intellectual disability from Australia, England and South Africa.

The historic tour marks the first time an Australian cricket team for players with any type of impairment has travelled abroad since the country’s Commonwealth Bank and Cricket Australia announced the single largest investment in women’s sport and diversity sports programmes. A key milestone of that investment being that cricket is the first non-Paralympic Australian sport to fully fund its national teams.

As a consequence, players in this squad will not have to pay to represent their country where previously they had to find up to AUD 5,000 each to participate.

Vittoria Shortt, Group Executive of Marketing and Strategy at Commonwealth Bank, said the bank’s partnership with Cricket Australia is particularly focused on strengthening the foundations of cricket for women, Indigenous players, players with impairments, and the local clubs around the country that are the lifeblood of the game.

“Supporting players with disabilities is a focus of our partnership, and we are delighted to be able to play a role in helping the 14 outstanding players that have been selected to represent Australia in the World Intellectual Impairment Sport Tri-Nations series.

“We wish the team all the very best for the tournament and know they will be excellent ambassadors for the country.”

The Australian side depart for Great Britain on 4 July looking to claim back the title it last won in 2009. After bringing home silverware at the first three editions of the event, Australia finished third in 2011 and runner-up in 2015.

At this event Australia will have two opportunities to claim a title with separate 40 over and T20 tournaments being contested between the three nations.

Head coach John Lonergan believes increased professionalism and a targeted approach over the last two years gives his squad every chance of making up significant ground on defending champions England.

“In 2015 the coaching team identified a large gap between the athleticism and fielding ability of England compared to that of the Australian Squad,” said Lonergan. “This has been a specific focus right from the start in identifying the initial training squad of 22 players.”

“At our training camp at the BUPA National Cricket Centre we called out three key focus areas for this tour.  We must enjoy this experience of representing Australia and touring overseas.  Each individual should strive to be the best cricketer they can be and finally, we are an elite cricket team representing Australia, so as with Cricket Australia’s overall philosophy we want to be the No.1 cricket nation in our respective division,” continued Lonergan.

Former Australian Test and ODI cricketer Julien Wiener will also join the support coaching staff on this tour as a player mentor having worked closely with several members of the squad at the National Cricket Inclusion Championships in Geelong.

“I’ve been so impressed with how excited and proud these guys are to represent their country and how this has positively reflected in their preparation and willingness to learn and get better,” said Wiener. “This is a squad with a strong team first ethic who are always looking for ways to support their teammates.”

2017 Australia squad

Gavan Hicks (Captain)
Lachlan MacRae
Mitchell Cutter Rabl
Daynah Hopkins
David Alford
Brett Wilson
Haydn Brumm
Brendan Westlake
David Baird
Nicholas McConnell
Boyd Duffield
Anthony Kalimeris
Luke Goodman
Justin Nilon

John Lonergan – Head Coach
Nathan Dodd – Assistant Coach
Jo Connolly – Team Manager
Julien Wiener – Coach and Player Mentor

Australia will open their campaign on 11 July against England in a 40 over match.

2017 World Intellectual Impairment Sport Cricket Tri-Nations schedule

9 July: opening ceremony, Cranage Hall

10 July: England v South Africa, Chester Boughton Hall CC (40 over)

11 July: England v Australia, Grappenhall CC (40 over)

12 July: South Africa v Australia, Nantwich CC (40 over)

13 July: South Africa v England, Bramhall CC (40 over)

14 July: Australia v England, Tattenhall CC (40 over)

16 July: South Africa v Australia, Oxton CC (40 over)

17 July: Final, Neston CC (40 over)

18 July: England v Australia and Australia v South Africa, Toft CC (T20)

19 July: South Africa v England and England v Australia, Chester Boughton Hall CC (T20)

20 July: England v South Africa and South Africa v Australia, Oxton CC (T20)

21 July: Final, Nantwich CC (T20)

England reveal squad for cricket tri-nations

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By England and Wales Cricket Board

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

England Learning Disability have announced a 15-man squad for the 2017 International Federation for Intellectual Disability Sport (World Intellectual Impairment Sport) Tri-Nations supported by British bank NatWest.

The tournament, which will be live scored on ecb.co.uk for the first time, will see England, Australia and South Africa lock horns at club grounds across Cheshire from 9-21 July.

England, led by skipper Chris Edwards, will be looking to win the Tri-Nations for the third time in a row following victories in 2011 and 2015.

Matt Browne and Jack Perry are new call-ups to the side while Dan Thomas and Thomas Wilson will also be hoping to make their England debuts having featured in previous squads.

The hosts will start their campaign to retain the trophy against South Africa on 10 July at Chester Boughton Hall Cricket Club.

The tournament is being supported by the English and Wales Cricket Board’s (ECB) new principal partner NatWest as part of their new ‘Cricket Has No Boundaries’ campaign.

England Learning Disability Head Coach Derek Morgan:

“The entire team is very excited about the tournament. Australia and South Africa will provide a stern test but we have picked a squad we believe is good enough to retain the trophy.

“The players are going into the tournament confident in their own abilities and that of the squad as a whole.”

England Head of Disability Cricket Ian Martin said: “We hope the World Intellectual Impairment Sport Tri-Series will be a fantastic advert for our sport. Our aim is to raise the profile of disability cricket for all cricket fans, no matter their background or challenges in life.

“It is brilliant news that NatWest are supporting all forms of cricket. Their support for our recreational game is all important as our national disability squads continue to show that cricket is a game for everyone.”

Martyn Wilson, NatWest Head of Sponsorship, Events & Hospitality, said: “We are immensely proud to have supported cricket for nearly 40 years. Our new role as principal partner of the ECB has enabled us to align our own values of diversity and inclusion and develop our ‘Cricket Has No Boundaries’ campaign. We want all our customers and colleagues to feel valued and welcome, and supporting the World Intellectual Impairment Sport Tri-Series is a great reflection of this.”

England squad

Chris Edwards (captain) (Cheshire)

Dan Bowser (Devon)

Matt Browne (Surrey)

Matt Cowdrey (Essex)

Jonny Gale (Surrey)

Rob Hewitt (Yorkshire)

Ronnie Jackson (Essex)

Alex Jervis (Yorkshire)

Dan Levey (Surrey)

Jack Perry (Cheshire)

Callum Rigby (Shropshire)

Lee Stenning (Surrey)

Dan Thomas (Essex

Thomas Wilson (Lancashire)

Tayler Young (Surrey)

2017 World Intellectual Impairment Sport Cricket Tri-Nations schedule

9 July: opening ceremony, Cranage Hall

10 July: England v South Africa, Chester Boughton Hall CC (40 over)

11 July: England v Australia, Grappenhall CC (40 over)

12 July: South Africa v Australia, Nantwich CC (40 over)

13 July: South Africa v England, Bramhall CC (40 over)

14 July: Australia v England, Tattenhall CC (40 over)

16 July: South Africa v Australia, Oxton CC (40 over)

17 July: Final, Neston CC (40 over)

18 July: England v Australia and Australia v South Africa, Toft CC (T20)

19 July: South Africa v England and England v Australia, Chester Boughton Hall CC (T20)

20 July: England v South Africa and South Africa v Australia, Oxton CC (T20)

21 July: Final, Nantwich CC (T20)