All-round fun challenges Thame’s young cricketers

THE cricket ground down at Church Meadow reverberated to the sounds of ball-on-bat on Tuesday, May 24,and to the enthusiastic cheers of 10 and 11-year-olds.

The occassion was the Schools Cricket Day for local primary schools, organised by Oxfordshire Cricket Board and Thame Town Cricket Club, to encourage local children to enjoy a day of cricket, played in the spirit of fair play and with a competitive edge against their rival schools.

The first such event in over a decade, it brought together five primary schools – Barley Hill, John Hampden, St Joseph’s, Great Milton and St Andrew’s, in Chinnor, with a total of 100 children, split 50/50 girls and boys, mainly from year six (aged 10 and 11). They were all playing in a kwik cricket tournament, run by the OCB (Oxfordshire Cricket Board) team and a small army of volunteers from TTCC.

Starting in ideal, sunny weather, in the shadow of St Mary’s church, at 10 o’clock, the tournament unfolded over four hours, with 20 matches being played and some excellent cricket skills on display. In the end the trophy for the winning girls’ team went to St Joseph’s and for the boys to John Hampden.

These two schools will now be rewarded with an invitation to the County Finals, taking place at Radley College on Wednesday, July 6, and TTCC will support both teams in their preparation for this event.

Judging by the enthusiastic response to the day, everyone involved is looking forward to the next tournament in 2017. TTCC would like to thank sincerely the three sponsors who made the day possible – Holland & Green Design, J. Bennett & Son Insurance and Landmark Garden Design.

SOURCE: Contributed by Andy Jinman