by Tom Pritchard
A SERIES of cricket taster sessions are being held at the Sports Hall in Treforest, aimed at trying to increase awareness of the sport to a wider audience.
The sessions have been organised by a group of four students linked to USW: Thomas Makin, Carmen Clements, Tamsyn Gregory and Stuart Grimmond.
Makin, 22, plays for the university’s indoor side, who finished fifth in this season’s BUCS Western B league.
Join us for our second session of the term tomorrow in Treforest Sports Hall! Same start time as last week of 18:30. Come and join @tsmakin, @GregoryTamsyn & @carmencclements for another fun filled cricket session! #UpTheOtters #UpTheSows #SowIsAFemaleOtter pic.twitter.com/welXhBWZTT
— USW Women’s Cricket (@WomenCricketUSW) February 27, 2019
Clements is a sports student at the university, and plays for the hockey team in the BUCS Leagues on Wednesday afternoons.
Gregory is a cricket player herself, while Grimmond is a coach at Glamorgan, as well as the USW men’s team.
The first of four sessions to date was held back in November.
Women’s cricket in the UK was provided with a big boost when England won the World Cup on home soil in 2017.
Good turn out for the first session of the term, some players who have never played before mixing with experienced players in a game of continuous cricket. #UpTheOtters #WomensCricket pic.twitter.com/YOwNKnl4DY
— USW Women’s Cricket (@WomenCricketUSW) February 21, 2019
The English side are established, and played their first tests back in the 1934/35 season. They have gone on to win four World Cups and a World Twenty20 title.
Cricket in Wales, however, is yet to reach the same heights; with the dream of fully-professional Welsh sides for men and women still appearing to be some way off.
Sessions like these are a good way of demonstrating the fun side of the game, which is always key in attracting new people to partake in any sporting activity.
To register interest or for further information, email carmenclements@outlook.com
(Featured image: @WomenCricketUSW on Twitter)
