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Wirral Grammar School for Boys enjoyed a memorable trip to Lord’s as they regained their National Table Cricket title.
The Bebington-based school won the trophy for the first time in 2023 but missed out last year.
However, the team’s dedication and hard work through extra training sessions paid off as they went unbeaten to reclaim the trophy with victory over Newton Abbot in the final.
“It feels good to have won, we have won in the past but I wasn’t playing when we won,” said captain Will.
“It feels good because the whole team has won now. I was expecting to win most of our matches because we have been practicing all year and training lots.”
Wirral, who have adopted the moniker ‘Warriors’, cruised through their group stage unbeaten before lining up in the final against Newton Abbot from Devon.
They managed to triumph and teacher Jonathan Taylor was left delighted at his pupils’ dedication paying dividends.
He said: “We have been doing it for three years now. The first year we won it, we were made up but last year was a little disappointing.
“This year we have worked really hard with the boys to get them ready to try and qualify for Lord’s. The whole school will be so happy for them.”
Table cricket is a fully inclusive, adapted version of the game aimed at young people living with a wide range of learning and physical disabilities played on a table tennis table.
Teams of six compete to avoid fielders and hit specific scoring zones while the ball is bowled using a ramp. The Lord’s Taverners runs its national competition each year, with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) schools from across the country taking part.
The sport provides opportunities for participants to benefit from all that sport can offer, something Taylor attested to having run table cricket at Wirral for three years.
“Their confidence has grown, they get the experience of playing in a team and experience what team sport is all about, winning and losing,” he added.
“Every single person involved in table cricket has grown in confidence. We have seen them grow in confidence socially and emotionally.”
The pupils enjoyed two days in London as part of their trip, arriving at school at seven o’clock the morning before to travel down ahead of their big day at the Home of Cricket.
They also met cricketing legends David Gower and Mike Gatting, and were presented with their medals by current England bowler Reece Topley.
“We have enjoyed it, it has been very tiring but it has been totally worth it,” added Taylor.
“Obviously the aim is to try and get back here but also to get more people involved at school. When we win, more people at school want to get involved and that’s our main aim.”
The Lord’s Taverners impacts the lives of young people facing the challenges of inequality. The charity works across the UK and beyond to provide inclusive and impactful cricket programmes, empowering young people with disabilities and from disadvantaged communities – visit www.lordstaverners.org
