Disability cricket in the spotlight as India beat England
In the end, India simply had too much for England. Heard that one before? Thought so. But whereas they often relate to a sub-continental shellacking, this time they refer to a T20 series played at (theoretically) the height of British summer.
England and India’s Deaf teams had never previously met in a bilateral series and this was, as is the modern way, a whirlwind tour: seven matches; five venues; 10 days. At the finale – a game hosted at the County Ground in Leicester – it was the visitors who had winners’ medals draped around their necks. India were worthy victors, and had in fact taken an unassailable lead a few days previously at the glorious Astwood Bank Cricket Club.
That day involves two matches. At sunrise, the teams were locked at 2-2 but, under its watchful gaze, India dominated. Their batters – Akash Singh, who passed fifty in both matches, and Sai Akash, who reached the mark four times in seven knocks over the course of the series – were explosive on a deck best described as a belter. Tiny boundaries helped, but the locals remarked that, as ball after ball cleared the surrounding netting, the day provided some of the biggest blows they had witnessed.
In the morning, India cantered to an eight-wicket triumph, while the post-lunch margin was 55 runs. But those eight or so hours were more than that: they were everything cricket should be, all laid on cordially by those running the club where the late Josh Baker’s shirts hang proudly in the pavilion.
Outside, a few hundred spectators gathered beneath the branches straddling the ropes. Amongst them were scores of local schoolchildren who afforded both players and umpires guards of honour all day. Many of them spent time interacting with the
Indian players on the sidelines, before gathering at close for a group photo, smiles and laughter providing a natural flash. Mind you, those grins combined were no match for the one worn by the chef whose local Indian restaurant provided the day’s sustenance – the tourists rated it their best food of the trip.
That India secured the series after game six was all the more impressive given they had slipped behind in the opener. That was played at Derbyshire after the squad briefly visited London for some sight-seeing. Naturally, they engaged in some Trafalgar Square yoga. Even more naturally, it poured down.
‘Many of them spent time interacting with the Indian players on the sidelines, before gathering at close for a group photo, smiles and laughter providing a natural flash’
In the East Midlands, grey had made way for blue, and India’s bowling was a delight. Their seamers looked perfectly suited for English conditions: skiddy; delivering at a decent lick; and hooping it about. Vivek Kumar, a gangly quick who led the attack, genuinely would not have looked out of place in the Blast. His fielding was outstanding, too, and he spent the series in a permanent state of ecstasy. They dismissed England for 95 but, with their reply at 23 for 2, the clouds burst. Like, properly burst. The game was abandoned within minutes and the local roads were soon flooded. DLS gave it to the hosts by 2 runs.
India took only 48-hours to turn a deficit into a lead, though, two matches at Kidderminster bringing two England defeats. First, India won by 23 runs, before later chasing 126 with both wickets and time in hand.
England had bowled well enough but their batting, despite its obvious quality, never got going. However, the day’s showreel moment did belong to them. More specifically, it belonged to James Schofield, who stuck out what many thought was a hopeful hand at long-on to take a catch. It was both glorious in-themonent and, with social media and the ability go #viral, vital for the visibility of disability cricket. Finally, in game four at Northamptonshire, England’s batters fired. Josh Price’s timing and tempo had gone AWOL during the early encounters but the sense was that a score or two was imminent. Price had only debuted for England in 2022 during the squad’s first ever Ashes victory but he had ended the year as the Lord’s Taverners Disability Cricketer of the Year. His unbeaten 69 from just 56 balls at Wantage Road helped level the series for England, a 90-run opening partnership with Umesh Valjee ensuring 152 was chased with ease. Valjee, who debuted back in 1992 and is now in his 50s, is disability cricketing royalty, and his strokes were regal.
Price would make further half-centuries at Astwood Bank and then in a six-wicket defeat in the final match at Grace Road. Alas, England could not register another victory, but this was a win for disability cricket. Its growing profile has once more been raised. That will continue during the Disability Premier League – a pan-disability T20 competition – in late summer. Perhaps, hopefully sooner rather than later, some of the Indian tourists will feature as overseas stars.
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