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NOTTINGHAMSHIRE KNIGHTS VISUALLY
IMPAIRED CRICKET TEAM By Leikeisha Walters
On 24th August, a special match took place at Thurgarton
Cricket Club: Maasai Cricket Warriors v Nottinghamshire
Knights Visually Impaired Cricket Club.
Nottinghamshire Knights’ Captain, Ryan Wilcock and his
team of intrepid blind and partially sighted cricketers
(sponsored by MySight Notts) invited the mighty Cricket
Warriors of the Maasai to put on blindfolds and square up
to the unique challenges of visually impaired cricket, where
listening skills are as important as bowling abilities, in a
fascinating demonstration of cricket for people with sight
loss.
On what started out as a sunny morning, the Warriors
engaged in a fun warm-up activity, whereby they were
introduced to the rules of cricket for the visually impaired –
beginning with the blindfolds and hitting (with a degree of
difficulty!) the size three football containing a smaller set of carbon balls which produce sound, as it approached!
As the match progressed, we observed the development of the Warriors’ coordination and spatial awareness – they
quickly got into the swing of things, and made some impressive batting shots, as did their counterparts!
Post-match, the Warriors commented on how the session had helped them to appreciate their sight and to truly value
the importance of the senses, commending the Nottinghamshire Knights on their dedication to cricket and their
sportsmanship.
NOTTINGHAM AND ARNOLD AMATEUR CRICKET CLUB
Nottingham and Arnold Amateur Cricket Club (NAACC)
is a Community Cricket Club intent on building traditions
enabling all who play, socialise and work with them to
achieve their potential. NAACC welcomed the Maasai
Cricket Warriors for a match at Goosedale Sports Club on
24th August.
The weather gods were unkind and, after some heavy rain
showers, the game was shortened - from a 20 over a side -
to a 15 over a side game played on an artificial wicket. The
NAACC side scored 150 runs for 6 wickets and bowled the
Warriors out for 74. Conditions were very wet and slippery
- much removed from the conditions that the Warriors are
used to - but at least it was an opportunity to get in some
practice and welcome to English conditions!
The Warriors battled the weather and their opponents
during a tough match, with spectators cheering them
on from the boundary. In their opening match of the
2018 tour, the Maasai Cricket Warriors team came away
defeated yet delighted that the Maasai Cricket Ladies’
Captain, Malawua Eunice Ng’ais, had the opportunity to
bat in her first ever international tournament. Speaking on
the tournament, Malawua said: “I am so happy that I was
able to play alongside the men’s teams as an equal, which
was part of the reason I was selected to join this tour – it
shows that women can participate at this level in a male-
dominated sport. It was difficult as we were up against
some strong competition, but it was a great experience.
I hope we can play against them in the future and show
them what we are made of!”
By Leikeisha Walters & John Gordon