Players lack 20/20 vision but have success in sight

Leamington Round Table has donated more than £2,300 from entry fees for the Wright Hassall Regency 10k Run to the Warwickshire Cricket Club Visually Impaired team.

The club plays home games at Leamington Cricket Club, Arlington Avenue, and in its present form has been playing since 2005.

Player Aiden Riley said: “The development of the sport is really coming along. We play against teams from all over the country and there are a lot of development teams starting up.

“In our relatively short existence we have had quite a lot of success and last year we won the national championships cup, as well as winning the Twenty20 competition in the last two years.

“We are always looking for sponsors as we are a registered charity and we are extremely grateful to receive sponsorship money like this.”

He said that over the last couple of years the club has been blessed with several international players such as Nathan Foy, Luke Sugg, Mark Turnham, Roy Turnham, Dave Powers and Jagdish Pata.

The club is also very keen to relate to the younger generation and this is backed up with both Justin Hollingsworth and Ryan Leighton being named in the England training squad, ready for the Ashes in May.

The main difference for blind and visually impaired cricketers is that they use a size-three football and it has ball bearings inside so that it can be heard.

Other changes to MCC rules include that there is a larger wicket, the bowler must ask the batsman if they are ready and shout “play” as the ball is released and the ball must pitch at least twice before the crease, but not roll.

The Regency Run, on Sunday, April 15, is still open and people can enter at www.regency10k.co.uk