Edgbaston played host to the Lord’s Taverners West Midlands Table Cricket Finals.
Seven schools from across the West Midlands headed to Edgbaston this week (25 April) to compete in the Lord’s Taverners West Midlands Table Cricket Finals, all vying for a place in the 2018 national finals to be held at Lord’s this June.
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 in a competitive environment.
The national competition, now in its 20th year, now sees over 300 schools compete across the county in the lead up to the national finals and is made possible thanks to players of the People’s Postcode Lottery.
The current national champions, Wilson Stuart School, qualified from this heat last year which meant the standard of the competition was high and it proved to be one of the highest scoring heats of regional competition stage so far with a score of 300 put on the board twice. A rare feat in table cricket.
There were also some thrilling finishes with four games, including the final, going down to the last over. Three games were decided by single figures in the group stage but it was the final between competition holders, Wilson Stuart, and tournament newcomers, Severndale Academy, who found their way to the West Midlands final.
Wilson Stuart posted a competitive 255 but it didn’t prove to be quite enough as Severndale chased it down in the last over to secure a memorable victory.
A fantastic day for all involved was given a surprising boost during the presentation ceremony as players from all teams got the once in a lifetime chance to lift the Cricket World Cup trophy!
Each of the teams had their photo taken with it and teachers, parents and players alike left the ground with a big smile on their face, definitely inspired to continue playing the game for the foreseeable future.
The schools competing in the West Midlands Table Cricket Finals:
Severndale Academy
Wilson Stuart School
Wightwick Hall School
Sherbourne Fields School
Penn Hall School
Derwen College
Chadsgrove School
For more information about the game of table cricket please click here (https://www.lordstaverners.org/table-cricket).
