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Sportsister trains with the UK’s first visually impaired women’s cricket team

July 10, 2024

My connecting train had been cancelled and in it’s replacement I had been told to catch a bus. I was stumped (excuse the pun). Leaving the station prematurely I had no idea where I was or where I needed to go.

Amazingly, after much dithering I found the correct bus stop and this is where I came across Min and Ramona, two young girls gossiping away, bacon butty in one hand, cricket bat in the other, and bar the white stick, I would barely have noticed that they were blind.

We got chatting, and indeed they were two members of the visually impaired (VI) cricket team who I was joining that morning for training. And as disorientated as we all were from the cancelled trains, being lost didn’t appear to be a problem for Min and Ramona, so I was relieved to have bumped into them!

I let them lead the way…30 minutes later, after two buses, a 10 minute walk and a quick water stop in the local shop, they had successfully led me to their cricket ground, whilst chatting non stop the whole way!

My experience had already begun with these inspiring visually impaired girls, and already I felt moved by their abilities and strong will. We hadn’t even got on the cricket pitch yet!

The UK’s first VI women’s cricket team (they are reluctant to call themselves England yet) was first inspired by Beth Evans (pictured below left) following a holiday she took to Nepal a few years ago.

Nepal created the world’s first ever VI cricket team for women and it was here that Beth, having witnessed them in action, felt inspired. As a cricket coach herself and as the Development Officer for Cricket For Change, she wanted to give visually impaired women in this country the same opportunity.

Cricket For Change is a charity that aims to use the sport as a way of improving the lives of disadvantaged people and with their support, Beth was able to set up her own VI team in 2010.

The squad now has 16 members from all over the country, and thanks to the help of fantastic funding from the Brian Johnston Memorial Trust the girls are able to train on a monthly basis in Surrey, at Wallington Cricket Ground.

Our training session wasn’t on the pitch, but in the impressive indoor facilities beside the clubhouse. The session lasted three hours, and included fitness training to begin, (timed - which was a little intimidating!), as well as plenty of exercises and drills to work on our fielding, batting and bowling skills.

Watching the women play it’s hard to believe that they are all blind or visually impaired. Teamwork is essential in this game as they rely on their teammates calling out, so that they know the direction to bowl and where to run to. The ball is also adapted for the game, it contains beads that rattle allowing the player to locate it by sound.

What I enjoyed most from my experience of the training and getting to know the girls, was seeing the obvious confidence that it brought and the great friendships growing amongst them, they told me that this has only developed through being a part of this team.

The squad hope that one day they can raise enough funds so they are able to fly to South Asia and take part in their first ever international against Nepal as an official England side. It seems that nothing can stop them, so let’s hope they can raise the money and make that dream come true. Keep up the great work girls!

For more info visit www.cricketforchange.org.uk or follow them on Twitter @cricket4change

Lizzie Flint, Sportsister
The Women’s Sports Magazine

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