Oxfordshire Cricket is pleased to announce the 13 man squad selected to play against Oxford UCCE on Tuesday 6th of April in a 50 over friendly match. Due to Government and ECB guidelines NO SPECTATORS are allowed to attend the match.

Here is the 13-man squad to play Oxford University Centre of Cricket Excellence on Tuesday 6th April 2021

Jonny Cater (capt./wk)
Shabaz Alam
Olly Clarke
James Coles
Tom Cosford
Tom Haynes
Harvey Jupp
George Sandbach
Robbie Shurmer
George Tait
Joe Thomas
Matt Warner
Russell White

For updates please keep an eye on our social media channels and play cricket

The ECB has today (1st of April 2021) released an updated FAQs document in relation to the Organised Outdoor Recreational Cricket Guidance for England as part of Step 1 B of the lifting of restrictions.

The FAQs covers a wide range of topics including spectators, travel, car sharing, changing rooms and coaching ratios. Please click here to view the updated FAQs document.

As well as the updated FAQ’s, a template Risk Assessment and Action Checklist both in word format can be found on the ECB’s Covid-19 Support Page. Please click here to view ECB Covid-19 Support

If you have any questions or would like support in going through the Organised Outdoor Recreational Cricket Guidance for England please contact the Participation and Growth Team.

The ECB are delighted to announce a partnership with the world’s number one hygiene soap brand, Lifebuoy, ahead of the new season. As part of the agreement, Lifebuoy will become the ‘Official Hygiene Partner’ and ‘Official Community Cricket Hygiene Partner’ of England Cricket and ECB.

In partnership with Lifebuoy, all recreational cricket clubs across England & Wales will be able to apply to receive a free ‘ECB Hygiene Bundle’ pack as part of the drive to help cricket return safely. Further subsidised hygiene bundles have also been created, where ECB registered clubs can receive more than 60% off RRP.

Lifebuoy will also be providing All Stars Cricket and Dynamos Cricket registered children with hand sanitiser bottles via their clubs. During the check out process, clubs will be asked to supply the number of registered children they have at their club, and will then receive this product at the same time as their original order.

Clubs can apply for their free ‘ECB Hygiene Bundle’, or place additional orders ahead of the season, by clicking here.

If you have any questions regarding the portal or Lifebuoy’s club bundles, please email [email protected].

Aspiring filmmakers from the cricket network will be able to improve their film skills in order to showcase their clubs more effectively thanks to a unique partnership between the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the British Film Institute (BFI).

Five representatives from cricket clubs and centres across England and Wales will be given the opportunity to take part in a bespoke 15-week online course on filmmaking and production in sport led by the BFI, designed exclusively for and with the ECB.

The scheme is funded by #Funds4Runs, a £1m investment launched in 2020 and jointly funded by LV= General Insurance and the ECB to support areas of recreational cricket affected by COVID-19. This includes supporting clubs to offer facilities and programmes that help improve diversity and inclusivity within cricket.

As the UK’s lead organisation for film, television and the moving image, the BFI is a cultural charity that aims to make the UK a creative place for film to flourish. The BFI is looking to help people from other professions and communities engage with the power of the moving image as a tool for effective communication.

Applicants can apply for the First Run course from today for the opportunity to learn from industry-leading film tutors how to create compelling films showcasing the character of their club. It will equip them with editing, communication, digital and planning skills, enabling them to create a variety of exciting video content.

Commenting, ECB Director of Participation and Growth, Nick Pryde said: “We are delighted to be taking cricket to new spaces through this exciting partnership with the BFI, thanks to LV= General Insurance’s #Funds4Runs initiative. We share a mission with the BFI to connect communities. That’s why this partnership was designed to help selected clubs digitally showcase what they do with the overall goal of getting more people engaging with cricket in the community.”

Also commenting, England Women’s player, Sophia Dunkley said: “First Run is a great opportunity for aspiring content creators and filmmakers to gain amazing experience which could really benefit their club. Bringing the sport to life through the power of film and digital content is crucial to getting more people into the game and promoting what clubs are all about.”

Heather Smith, Managing Director of LV= GI, said: “LV= is delighted to be able to give five talented young people an opportunity to begin an exciting journey of learning with the BFI on First Run through #Funds4Runs. The #Funds4Runs initiative was created to support members of the grassroots cricket community, and the participants in the First Run programme will hopefully be able to take the filmmaking skills they’ve learned back to their club. Best of luck to all the applicants.”

Mark Prescott, Head of Business Development and Consulting at BFI, said: “We’re excited to work with the ECB on a project that will enable people from cricket clubs across England and Wales to learn a range of filmmaking and storytelling skills that will help them promote their clubs and activities within their local communities. In today’s digital environment, having the skills, techniques and confidence to communicate through video and the moving image couldn’t be more important. We are looking forward to working with the ECB and these participants this summer.”

To apply for the course, click here.

Applicants must be aged 18 or over and a player or volunteer at a cricket club or centre in England and Wales. Applications open on 26 March 2021 and close on 23 April. No experience is necessary but a passion for filmmaking, communications, journalism or marketing is preferable.

The ECB has released Organised Outdoor Recreational Cricket Guidance for England as part of Step 1 B of the lifting of restrictions. It is based upon UK Government Guidance for recreational sport. The Participation and Growth Team,  will be going through the guidance on Monday evening from 7PM at the club webinar. To register for the webinar click here

Summary of Guidance

This guidance is for organised cricket in England only at Step 1B of the Government Roadmap out of Lockdown from 29 March 2021 until progression to Step 2 is confirmed by the UK Government (no earlier than 12 April 2021). It is based upon UK Government Guidance for recreational sport available here.

The UK Government defines organised sport as: ‘sport which is formally organised by a qualified instructor, club, national governing body [NGB, in the case of cricket – the ECB], company or charity and follows sport-specific guidance’.

If the sport is not organised by one of these groups (for example, some friends playing cricket in a park) or the sport’s NGB guidance is not being followed (for example, a cricket club ignoring the ECB’s safety measures), this is considered to be informal or self-organised sport.

Taking part in organised cricket sometimes means that other restrictions such as legal gathering limits do not apply when taking part. This is because the ECB has considered the risks and set out ways to mitigate them so people can participate safely. The ECB’s guidance is listed as approved by the UK Government (see here). Informal or self-organised sport is not covered by any exemptions or this guidance.

Oxfordshire Cricket is pleased to see the recently announced ECB Roadmap for Cricket’s Return to Play in England which is subject to government approval on the 22nd of March. However, we are seeking further clarification from the ECB on the full extent of Cricket’s Return to Play guidance, in particular, the specific ratios permitted for coaching.

We will provide a further update as soon as we are in a position to, with the aim to cover the detailed guidance at our next Club Webinar.

Oxford Sports Council is delighted to invite clubs/organisations to apply to our 2021 recovery fund. The fund aims to allow your club to try out creative new ideas to support the development of your club and kick start activity by driving new members to your activities.

Applications open on 22 nd March and close on 30th April 2021. Clubs can apply for £500-£1500 with decisions being announced in mid-May. We are hoping to support a large number of clubs/organisations.

There is no formal application form, however, applicants are expected to complete the boxes in the attached document with enough information to allow us to judge the merit of funding the project.

Important Information

Important Information

We can only fund clubs/organisations based in Oxford City.

The application needs to be for new activity/or a refresh of an activity which was stopped due to Covid.

We do not fund contributions to salaries for full or part time staff but could contribute to an hourly payment to coaches to deliver taster sessions.

We will not fund long term venue hire but would consider one off hire of facilities for taster/ have a go events.

You could use funding for publicity materials, small gifts as incentives to volunteers or new members or refreshments for open days.

Please ask if you have any questions or would like to have an informal chat about your project/ idea before submitting an application. Email – [email protected]

Due to the potential risk of transmitting Covid only electronic applications will be accepted.

The deadline to join this seasons new girls competitions is on 31st March and we are encouraging clubs to get in touch to confirm their entries.

What are the formats?

Under 11 Softball League. This will be an 8 a side pairs competition with fixtures being given a ‘play-by’ date rather than a play on date, so clubs can liaise a date that best suits them and fits around their ground availability. Currently 7 teams have entered this competition.

Under 13 Softball League. This will also be an 8 a side pairs competition with fixtures coming with a play-by date. Currently 5 teams have entered this competition.

Under 15 Hardball League. This will be an 8 a side 16 over hardball comp. Fixtures dates will be flexible to fit around your ground availability. We currently have 3 teams entering this competition.

We have had a fantastic response to our first ever girls competitions but want to ensure everyone has the opportunity to enter a side if they feel able too. We are also keen for clubs to ‘merge’ if they don’t have enough players for a team so we want to hear from clubs who feel they are in this position so we can potentially work with other similar clubs to put additional teams together.

Please contact Women & Girls Officer Ed Wilson on [email protected] or on 07814272681 before 31st March to get your entries in or ask any questions you may have about the new competitions.

Oxfordshire Cricket is delighted to announce that we have partnered up with Hartwell PLC for the 2021 season which will see them play an important part in supporting our County Men, and T20 club finals day. Furthermore, they will be a key partner in supporting us with our delivery of highlights packages for County Men fixtures that are streamed.

Established in 1919 in Oxfordshire, Hartwell PLC is a leading automotive group representing Ford car and commercial vehicles. With eleven locations based across the UK. They assist customers with their motoring needs and have built a reputation for providing exceptional customer service and the highest quality vehicles. It’s this reputation, and the loyalty to their customers, that has seen their centenary in 2019.

In addition to the wide variety of new cars that they offer, they have a comprehensive stock of used vehicles for sale across their network. These include models from a range of franchises, and which can suit a variety of needs. Whether you’re looking for your very first car at an affordable price, or need to upgrade your existing vehicle to accommodate your growing family, they can help.

As part of the partnership and subject to COVID restrictions, Hartwell PLC will attend a range of events throughout the year where you will be able to see some of their vehicles on display and speak to members of their staff. Players, clubs, officials, families and the wider cricket community will be able to use or reference Oxfordshire Cricket when they speak to anyone at Hartwell which will enable them to access any offers or discounts that are available. Another benefit of the newly announced partnership is it enables Oxfordshire Cricket to continue developing the sport throughout the county, whether it be projects in the local community, supporting clubs or continuing to produce elite-level cricketers.

Nick Pinhol, Marketing and Commercial Manager at Oxfordshire Cricket said:

“We are delighted to be starting a new relationship with Hartwell PLC for the 2021 season which will see them be a key partner with Oxfordshire Cricket. Their reputation for providing exceptional customer service and the highest quality vehicles is impressive, especially given their connection to the Oxfordshire community. Particularly in these difficult times, we are delighted that Hartwell PLC will be joining us, and we look forward to working with them”

For more information on Hartwell please visit their website at https://www.hartwell.co.uk/ or follow them on social media:

Twitter: @Hartwell_co_uk
Facebook: @hartwellplc
Instagram: @hartwellplc

In February with members of the Oxfordshire Cricket workforce being on flexi furlough, the workforce, staff, directors, players and volunteers of Oxfordshire Cricket set out to voluntarily give up some of their time to do a virtual challenge to walk, run or cycle the same distance as from John O’Groats to Land’s End, a total of874 miles, during February to raise money for Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust and the Opening Up Cricket Charity.

Thanks to the incredible dedication and support of the workforce, players, directors and volunteers we covered an amazing 2528.57 miles, which is the equivalent of travelling John O’Groats to Land’s End 2 ¾ times. So far a total of £1,529 has been raised for the two amazing charities.

The just giving page will remain open for a few more weeks, so please if you can support us by making a donation, even £1 will make a difference.

To donate and support please click https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/oxfordshire-cricket