Latest / The PCR Sports Show / The PCR Sports Show - Friday 14th November 2025 - with Jonathan Bigham, Mel Wing and Khayan Nawaz from Cricket East

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The PCR Sports Show - Friday 14th November 2025 - with Jonathan Bigham, Mel Wing and Khayan Nawaz from Cricket East · The PCR Sports Show

0:16
Welcome. To PCR Sports.
0:18
Well good evening and welcome to another edition of PCR Sports
0:22
Show, the start to another sporting weekend.
0:25
We've got a packed show and a packed studio tonight.
0:29
I'm excited to welcome Jonathan, Mel and Cayenne from Cricket E.
0:35
We're going to be chatting all things cricket this evening and
0:38
we've had some typical English cricketing weather today, so
0:42
unfortunately rain might stop play but it certainly won't stop
0:45
the chat this evening. But as always, first of all we
0:49
have some of the headlines which are read this evening by Dipam.
0:52
Thank you Nigel, good evening Peterborough and these are your
0:54
sporting headlines this evening on the PCR Sports Show.
0:57
Starting with football, Peter United have made it three wins
1:00
out of three under new manager Luke Williams following their
1:03
five nil thrashing of AFC Wimbledon last Saturday and a
1:06
dramatic late victory at Crawley Town in the EFL Trophy.
1:09
To keep their defence of the trophy well and truly alive.
1:12
In the Wimbledon match there were a brace of goals each for
1:14
Harry Leonard and Gustav Lindgren and one for Cairo
1:17
Lisby. The win lifts Posh off the
1:19
bottom of the table and they have a game in hand on the teams
1:21
around them. On Tuesday evening Posh needed a
1:24
win to qualify from the group stages of the AFL trophy and
1:27
they went in at half time with A1 nil lead.
1:29
However, Crawley Town equalised in a 73rd minute and with Posh
1:32
hopes progressing of progressing looking slim, Donate O'Brien
1:36
Brady clinched it with a 94th minute winner to send Posh
1:39
through. Porsche's reward is a trip to
1:41
Swindon Town in the next round and there's no league match this
1:44
weekend for the City side as the international break means the
1:46
fixture at Mansfield Town has been postponed.
1:49
Porsche will be back in action on Thursday evening when
1:51
Stockport are the visitors to the Western Home Stadium for an
1:54
8:00 PM kick off. So if you want to go along there
1:56
then get along before kick off. Peter United Women continued
2:00
their fine form with A2 NIL win over Lee Field Athletic at Pyms
2:03
Park last Sunday with goals from Keira Ray and Haley James.
2:07
The victory places Posh women at the top of Division One Midlands
2:10
thanks to a far superior goal difference over Boldimir St.
2:13
Michaels in second place. The side travelled to face 3rd
2:16
place Barnsley this Sunday for their next league encounter.
2:19
Peter of Sports fell to a narrow one nil defeat at Spennymoor
2:22
Town last Saturday leaving them in the relegation zone of the
2:24
National League N. The Turbines have a welcome
2:27
distraction from the league action this weekend as they
2:29
travelled to face the side just above them in the league in the
2:32
FA Trophy Trophy second round time, which is Oxford City.
2:36
The league campaign resumes on Tuesday evening with a long
2:39
midweek trip to Darlington. In ice hockey, Peter Phantom
2:42
endured A disappointing weekend with back-to-back defeats,
2:45
losing 6 to to the Sheffield Steel Dogs on Saturday before
2:49
suffering A54 reverse at home to Milton Keyne Lightning on
2:52
Sunday. This weekend The Phantoms
2:55
travelled to face Leeds nights on Saturday before hosting the
2:58
Basingstoke Spicings on Sunday for a 5:30 PM face off.
3:03
In hockey here is the City of Peterborough Hockey Club roundup
3:06
courtesy of youth chair David Simpson.
3:08
There were five wins, one draw and 12 losses this week and the
3:11
men's first ended in a three-game losing streak with
3:14
A31 win at Stourport. Gareth Andrews scored a first
3:17
half field goal, added a penalty corner in the 54th min and
3:20
completed his hat trick with a late field goal.
3:23
CT move up to 4th and host Barford Tigers this week.
3:28
Women's First maintained the unbeaten run with A71 home win
3:31
over St. Neots.
3:32
Lily Craven opened the scoring in the first minute with Rachel
3:35
Fletcher, Bricia Foxton, Claire Boutel and Leah Goddard adding
3:39
to the tally. Craven and Foxton completed
3:41
their braces. In other wins, the men's 7th
3:44
beat Pelicans 21, the women's seconds beat Cambridge Uni 2 nil
3:48
and there was a draw with the women's fifths 11 with St.
3:52
Ives the losses. The men's seconds lost 3 two
3:55
against Harleston. The men's thirds went down 32
3:58
versus Saint Ives. The men's fourths were beaten 3
4:01
one by Wisbech. The men's fifths lost five nil
4:05
against Kettering, the men's 632 against Wisbech and the men's
4:09
8th one nil versus St. Neots and then in the women's
4:12
the thirds lost 5 two against St.
4:14
Ives and the fourths went down 5 nil versus Spalding.
4:18
In the youth section the results were for the girls under
4:20
fourteens. They beat Saffron Walden 5 nil.
4:23
The boys under fourteens beat Bedford 31.
4:26
The under 16 girls went down 3-4 against Saffron Walden and the
4:30
other 16 boys lost two one against Beeston.
4:34
And on Saturday, tomorrow, the games at home are the men's
4:37
sixth against Long Sutton starting at 10 AM.
4:39
At 1:00 PM, you'll see the woman's force against Long
4:42
Sutton and followed by the men's seconds at 2:30 against Dereham.
4:46
And later on in the afternoon, the women's seconds take on
4:49
Cambridge City fifths at 4:00 PM and the men's eights taking on
4:53
Wisbech 1st at 5:30. In cycling, Clarion Club star
4:58
Lindsay Clark claimed 2 more titles this weekend.
5:01
On Saturday, she won the 60 to 64 women's race at the BMCR
5:06
Masters Cyclo Cross Sampships near Market Harborough.
5:08
She followed that with an age group victory in the round seven
5:12
of the Lincolnshire Cyclo Cross Series at Donington Hall on
5:16
Sunday. In boxing, Top Yard Boxing won
5:19
two of the three bouts in Huntingdon as they prepare for
5:22
their own show later this month. Debutant 13 year old Johnny
5:25
Winters beat Beringfield's Alfie Crawley by unanimous points
5:28
while Lewis Burton, 14, also won by unanimous unanimous points
5:32
against Ollie Ritson and Okan Kazim.
5:35
Again another 14 year old Fortwell but lost to a close
5:38
points decision in swimming. City of Peter Swimmers claimed 7
5:42
titles at the East Short Course Championships in Luton.
5:45
Josh Sakris delivered an excellent individual double
5:48
winning the 50 meters and the 100 meters backstroke events
5:51
while Frank Lamb was victorious in the 400 meter of medley.
5:54
Sakri also took part in was also part of the four relay wins as
5:58
was Luke Tunstall and the relay winners were in the mixed 4 * 50
6:02
medley was Emma Cushion, Josh Shakri, Shahid Mohammed and Luke
6:06
Tunstall. In the men's 4 * 50 meters, the
6:10
victorious team were Luke Tunstall, Jacob Bacon, Frank
6:13
Lamb and Josh Shakri and in the 50 in the mixed 50 * 50
6:17
freestyle, Luke Tunstall, Shahid Mohammed, Kitty Lamb and Josh
6:21
Zachary with a winning side. And then finally in the men's 4
6:24
* 50 medley, Jacob Bacon, Josh Zachary, Kean Lee and Luke
6:29
Tunstall brought the team home. The Cops Swimmers also presented
6:33
on. The Cops Swimmers also posted
6:35
numerous personal best and achieved top 10 finishes in
6:38
individual events, demonstrating that the club's future remains
6:41
by Bright despite having no home pool following the closure of
6:44
the regional pool in the city. And finally, we finish off with
6:47
triathlon. Paul Lund of Pack Track has
6:49
completed a hat trick of World Championship triathlon titles.
6:52
Competing in the 70.3 metres half marathon in Marbella.
6:56
He won the 50 to 54 H category by just 14 seconds and missed
7:01
out in 1920, in 19, in 2024 should I say, but returned to
7:04
claim his third title in four years.
7:07
And those are your headlines. And back to Nigel.
7:09
Fantastic. Thank you very much Dipam.
7:12
Lots going on as usual. Some horrible weather today
7:15
which might impact sport this weekend, but still lots going
7:18
on. Absolutely, Yeah.
7:19
I think the ice hockey will be safe, but other than that, yeah,
7:23
hockey could be suffering. Hopefully football will will
7:26
survive and yeah, we'll just have to see.
7:29
It's just been non-stop rain today, so it's going to be a lot
7:31
of soft ground out there. I think it's it's days like
7:34
today and weekends like this weekend where the 3G pitches
7:37
come in, isn't it? I know that Oxford City, where
7:40
sports are tomorrow is a 3G so that should that should go
7:43
ahead, but some of the grass pitches will suffer I think.
7:45
Absolutely, yes. Yeah, looking forward to the
7:48
posh. Not posh, sorry.
7:50
The sports game tomorrow. Obviously a cup match, so be
7:53
good to have a bit of a cup run. Unfortunately it wasn't possible
7:56
in the FA Cup, but the FA Trophy might prove to be the place.
8:00
Who knows? Fantastic.
8:01
Let's hope so. Fingers crossed.
8:03
OK, so like I say, packed studio this evening.
8:07
I'm joined by Jonathan Bigham who's special projects manager
8:11
at Cricket E I'm John Mel who's Peterborough Wickets Development
8:15
manager, really wide name badge for Mel and Kayan who's diverse
8:20
communities manager all at Cricket East.
8:23
And we're going to be chatting cricket lots and lots this
8:26
evening. OK, Jonathan, we'll bring you in
8:28
first. Not just your involvement at
8:32
Cricket East, you've also played the game for a lot of years and
8:37
umpired the game, scored the game, pretty much done
8:39
everything in the game. But you've got an interesting
8:41
story how that all started, haven't you?
8:43
Yeah, very much so. My first ever game of cricket
8:45
was back in June 1992, King School against Ramsey Abbey,
8:48
year seven match. And on the opposition team was
8:51
this lady who was captain, opened a batting, scored 51,
8:55
retired and then came him to bowl, took 4 wickets, 3 catches
8:58
and also executed a run out. Not a bad performance in a 20 /
9:02
a side match. And nobody knew who she was
9:04
apart from his 12 year old lady playing in this year 7 match.
9:07
I mean a fortnight later she was picked for the England Ladies
9:10
under nineteens at the age of 12.
9:13
And of course everybody even knew who she was.
9:14
It was Charlotte Edwards. And of course four years later
9:16
when everybody was in the GCC's 1996, she was picked for England
9:20
Ladies, a brilliant opening batsman, a brilliant bowler,
9:22
brilliant captain and she let's say she captain England until
9:25
2016 until she retired at the age of 36.
9:28
And of course, as we all know now, she's coach of England
9:31
Ladies team and two weeks ago was overseas for the Ladies 50
9:35
over side World Cup, which sadly we lost in the semi finals.
9:38
But very soon, next summer, she'll be in charge of the of a
9:41
women's team when of course England Ladies play in the 2020
9:43
World Cup, which is coming to England next summer.
9:45
Amazing. Yeah.
9:46
And that's your that's your claim to fame.
9:48
So just what we're talking about the the pro game, then something
9:52
special start in a week tonight isn't there?
9:54
In Perth, the action gets underway for the latest Ashes
9:58
series. That usually signals the start
10:01
of seven or eight weeks with hardly any sleep for me.
10:03
But what about you guys? Will you be tuning in?
10:06
Very much so. Like I said, this summer's to
10:08
me, it's been the greatest summer since 2005.
10:10
England India Test series was absolutely outstanding and like
10:13
I say this time next week Perth 230 starts in the morning
10:17
quickly followed by the Gabba at Brisbane at the start of
10:20
December which of course is a day night 1 so not as bad. 4:30
10:23
AM in the morning Rd. starts then just before Christmas 17th
10:26
to 21st December got Adelaide and then over Christmas in the
10:29
year the MCG at Melbourne and the 5th and final Test match at
10:32
Sydney 4th to the 8th of January.
10:34
It's going to be a tough six weeks.
10:37
Fingers crossed we can bring your own home.
10:39
Cayenne, let's bring you in there.
10:40
You're going to be watching as well.
10:42
Yeah. Absolutely.
10:43
I've got my membership already to go.
10:45
I've got my alarm clock ready as well, so yeah.
10:47
Good. Give us a preview.
10:49
What are England going to do this year?
10:50
It's. Going to be tough, but I think
10:52
our batting is going to be one of the best line UPS we have and
10:57
I know it's just got injured, so hopefully we can bring it back,
11:02
especially for the third Test. At least he could come in for
11:05
that where the pitch that's hopefully going to help us, our
11:07
pace bowlers. But I think, yeah, I think our
11:09
teams be a match for anyone. We mentioned something coming up
11:13
next summer in England which is really exciting as well the the
11:16
Women T20 World Cup. Before that, England will be
11:21
warming up with some ODIs and T 20s against New Zealand and
11:25
India in May I believe. So that's really exciting, isn't
11:29
it, as well? 2026 is a great year.
11:31
Coming up we've got the England 2020 World Cup in February,
11:36
March from the 7th to the 8th or 7th of February to the 8th of
11:39
March and then of course next summer England men play New
11:41
Zealand, Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka.
11:43
But just as important if not more important, you've got
11:45
England ladies playing against India at Lourdes from the 10th
11:48
to the 14th of July. And also we've got the 2020
11:52
World Cup which of course is happening next year, 12th of
11:54
June to the 5th of July, Bristol, Birmingham, the Oval in
11:58
London, Lords in London, Hedley, Leeds, Old Trafford, Manchester
12:00
and Southampton been A7 venues. Keep up to date with what's
12:04
going on. Look at the Cricket E website,
12:05
there'll be lots of information start of March onwards in the
12:08
build up to the big day on the 12th of June soon and it's going
12:11
to be a great event. We had the 2020 World Cup over
12:13
here in 2009, the men's version. We had the of course the World
12:16
Cup over here for men in 1999 and 2019.
12:20
But I say it's not every day of the week the World Cup comes to
12:22
this country. It's going to be absolutely
12:24
brilliant. England ladies got a great
12:25
chance serve Australia and India don't rule those two countries
12:28
outside of. It let's talk about the ladies
12:30
for a bit then, because cricket really was a catalyst for the
12:34
recent explosion of women's sport, wasn't it?
12:37
Things like playing in bigger stadiums, players becoming
12:41
professional, that's all happening in, in football now
12:44
more and more since the Lionesses were so successful.
12:47
But that's, that's commonplace now in cricket, isn't it?
12:50
And they, they really led the way in that, didn't they?
12:51
Yeah, very much so. My great aunt did play for
12:53
England ladies a long time ago, but who?
12:55
A long time ago. She sadly passed away 19 years
12:57
ago but but the last 15 years, since 2010, cricket and and also
13:02
rugby and football, the ladies has come on in leaps and bounds.
13:05
It's more professional, the training more, but there's more
13:08
matches being shown on terrestrial TV and also Sky
13:10
Sports as well and it is great to see.
13:13
Since 2010 locally there's been lots of cricket clubs, football
13:16
clubs, rugby clubs, getting youngsters, women and girls
13:19
playing Rose games and Peterborough Town, Autumn Park,
13:22
Casta new but just 4 clubs locally do a great job with
13:25
their cults for boys and for girls.
13:27
In fact, Peterborough Town, even though the season finished seven
13:29
weeks ago, they're carrying on they they started last week,
13:32
they're doing girls cricket throughout the winter on a
13:35
Saturday night from 6 to half seven at the Peterborough
13:38
School. So it's great to see so many
13:40
pick girls and ladies taking part in both cricket, football
13:44
and also rugby as well. Indeed, yeah, and that's what
13:46
this show is all about, getting people playing sport locally.
13:49
Mel, we'll, we'll bring you in there.
13:52
Just going back to the the Ladies World Cup, looking
13:57
through the website today and there seems to be some really
13:59
attractive ticketing options available.
14:01
Just £30 for adults, £10 for children and even the best seats
14:06
to watch Women's World Cup cricket with all the hospitality
14:11
that comes Wicket, he's only £60.
14:13
Seems very accessible to me and it should make it a really
14:16
viable option for people to come get out and watch this
14:18
tournament, shouldn't it? Yeah, 100%.
14:20
I think if you've got the opportunity to go and watch some
14:22
of the cricket, you should definitely get in there and get
14:25
some tickets. Yeah, indeed.
14:27
And that's, that's a good thing. Just just bringing you back in
14:31
there, maybe Kaya, maybe the men's game.
14:34
You know that if those Ashes were over here, you'd you'd be
14:38
lucky to get a ticket for less than £100, wouldn't you?
14:40
And that that does make it difficult for a lot of people.
14:42
Doesn't it? I, I think especially with the
14:44
girls game, women's game as well, it's not a lot more
14:47
accessible than it has ever been.
14:49
So. And I remember taking my
14:51
daughter, my daughters to a few games and the excitement the
14:54
youngsters all have just to see the game.
14:57
It's as exciting as the men's game, if not more pleased to
15:01
make the most of the opportunities.
15:03
It's it's in our home ground, so you know, in our home patches.
15:05
So why not? Exactly, exactly.
15:08
And it's all the big grounds, isn't it?
15:09
You know, it's that and that that's a good thing maybe for
15:12
the a lot of the cricket grounds in England, because they're not
15:14
huge, are they? So it is, it is quite easy to to
15:18
fill those grounds, isn't it? And, and the women can do that
15:20
just as well as the men, can't they?
15:21
100% Nigel, like I say, very, very good ticket pricing, lots
15:26
of opportunity. 12th of June, the 5th of July.
15:28
And as Mel said a few minutes ago, if you've not bought
15:30
tickets, do try and look at the ECB website to try and get your
15:33
tickets and, and, and so you can get there.
15:35
This will be some great cricket played next summer and like I
15:38
say, fingers crossed 5th of July will be in the final bringing a
15:41
trophy home. Let's hope so.
15:43
Let's hope so. Crickets coming home, right?
15:47
Yeah. Go and have a look on those on
15:48
those websites and get those tickets.
15:51
I was looking earlier on there's availability for all the games
15:54
still and let's hope for some sunshine and really, really a
15:58
good World Cup. OK, We're going to come back and
16:02
talk to the guys more locally. So we've got a couple of
16:06
initiatives from Cricket E that are really, really interested
16:10
and lots, lots to talk about. We'll be back right after this
16:13
break. You're listening to PCR sports.
16:29
OK, welcome back to PCR Sports. Like I say, we've got Jonathan,
16:34
Mel and Kayan in from Cricket E this evening chatting.
16:38
Cricket, Jonathan. Cricket E What's that all about?
16:42
OK, Cricket E is Hunts and Beds Cricket Board merged together
16:45
back in October 2017 and Cricket E is like I say, a body that
16:51
helps clubs, helps communities, helps schools.
16:54
So there's a coaching in schools as as working various different
16:57
areas of the city. If there's a coaching course,
16:59
umpiring course, officiating course that you need doing, then
17:02
Cricket E will put it on. We also have a lot of work in
17:04
schools organising tournaments, lots of tournaments in the
17:06
community like Hunts Indoor League Week 2 back this Sunday
17:09
live at Bushfield Sports Centre. And like I say, we also with
17:12
Cricket East have the county age group activities for girls and
17:15
boys and the under 10s to the nineteens age group as well.
17:18
So a whole vast area working in Bedfordshire, working in loose
17:22
and working hunting and also working in this great city of
17:25
Peterborough. And I said been going now for
17:27
what's been, it's been cricket. He's been informed now for the
17:29
last 8 years as. Fabulous.
17:31
So loads and loads going on. Mel will bring you in now.
17:35
This is Mel Wing, she's Peterborough Wickets development
17:38
manager. Now Wickets is one of the
17:41
programs run by Cricket E Tell us a little bit more about what
17:44
I involves. Yeah, so if you've never heard
17:46
of wickets before, it's open to boys and girls aged 8 to 19.
17:53
And the idea is that it's entry level cricket, open to everyone
17:59
and it's a little bit more than just cricket because we will
18:02
talk about things that affect young people's lives and
18:05
day-to-day. So for example this week we've
18:07
been talking about anti bullying because it's anti bullying week
18:09
this week. But we do everything from like
18:14
some healthcare, knife crime, you name it.
18:18
We might have talked spoken about it with the children.
18:22
So that's it's, it's tackling these issues that are a big part
18:25
of young people's lives these days.
18:27
With the background of cricket, yeah.
18:29
Yeah, for sure. So I mean, cricket gets them in
18:32
the door. Hopefully they're enjoying that
18:34
and wanting to stay. And we're using that opportunity
18:37
to also help build some life skills and but keep him on the
18:41
straight and narrow, I guess. And are these is this year round
18:44
activity or is this just the outdoor game base in the summer?
18:47
Yeah. So we are currently running 3
18:50
hubs across the week, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday.
18:53
We run that all year round. We might have a few breaks
18:56
throughout the year when maybe when the schools aren't in, but
19:01
this time of year we run them indoors and then obviously when
19:03
the weather is permitting, we'll we'll do that outside.
19:06
Fabulous. So just just take us through
19:08
what a typical session would look like.
19:11
If somebody's listening to this and thinks that's something I
19:13
really like to get involved in, or a parent's listening and, and
19:16
thinking, you know, this is for my son or daughter, what
19:20
actually would they be getting involved in physically?
19:23
Yeah, so the sessions are free, so you can just rock up.
19:26
You can come every week, you can come once a month, you can come
19:29
whenever it suits you, really. Kids can be dropped off or
19:34
parents can stay and watch. They can get involved and
19:36
volunteer whatever they you can be as involved or uninvolved if
19:40
you want to be really. We'll do a little cricket warm
19:44
up. Let the guy, the kids socialize.
19:49
Some weeks we'll have our our talks that might be not involved
19:54
in cricket but and then we'll play some cricket drills, have a
19:57
little game. We try and do whatever the young
20:01
people want to do really. And as fun as we can.
20:04
And whereabouts in in Pittsburgh do these sessions take place?
20:07
Yeah. So our Monday night hub is at
20:10
Gladstone Community Centre, our Tuesday nights is at the Focus
20:14
Centre in Dogthorpe and then on a Thursday night is that's our
20:17
girls only session and we do that in Mill at Millfield
20:20
Community Centre. OK.
20:22
And people just turn up. Yeah, you can just turn up.
20:25
We'll ask you to fill in a little form.
20:26
But other than that, it's straightforward, don't need any
20:29
equipment or anything. That that was my question.
20:31
You, you got that input. So just turn up with with I
20:34
guess gym shoes or something to input clothing.
20:37
Yeah, with a water bottle and you're good to go.
20:39
Fantastic. And Kay, and we'll just bring
20:42
you in there because your role is is diverse communities
20:46
Manager. So I'm guessing you get involved
20:48
with this as well. Yeah, immensely so.
20:51
My, my role, I, I pretty much cover most of every chain,
20:54
Huntington, Luton and Peterborough.
20:57
So it's trying to make cricket as accessible to people from all
21:00
Southeast South Asian backgrounds, African, Caribbean
21:03
backgrounds, all diverse backgrounds and trying to look
21:07
at different avenues and we can work together.
21:09
So if that means running like what we want, the projects that
21:12
we ran over over the summer was a quickish program, which was
21:16
where we were having English with quick English lessons with
21:19
cricket. So again, we were only allowed
21:21
to speak English, get people from English might not
21:24
necessarily be the first language.
21:25
So it enables them to, they actually come in, speak English
21:28
and play the game that they love as well.
21:29
So bring that community together, cohesive cohesion, you
21:33
know everyone, everyone coming together and you join the game
21:35
and learning at the same time. Amazing what?
21:37
What do the numbers look like at these sessions?
21:39
Are they popular, Mel? They're varied, some weeks
21:42
better than others, depends what's going on really, but
21:45
typically we've got enough to play a decent little game of
21:47
cricket every week and then some weeks when there aren't as many
21:50
numbers you you're getting good high quality coaching, yeah.
21:55
Yeah, exactly. And Kayan funded.
21:59
I believe the majority of the funding comes from the Lord's
22:02
Taverners, who again, are all about diversity and inclusion,
22:06
aren't they? So the wickets program both in
22:08
Luton and Peterborough are funded is through the Lord's
22:12
Taverners. So they again very passionate
22:16
about using cricket as a tool change and again it is solely
22:22
around how we can make the kid make the person rather than the
22:27
cricketer. So cricketers happens to be the
22:29
tool that we used in order in order for us to do that.
22:32
And that's something which we've been very successful in across
22:35
the county, of course, both counties.
22:38
And that is something which we feel as if, if you know the
22:40
number of case studies we've had from participants and you know,
22:43
realizing the confidence that they've built and feedback we
22:47
will get from parents and teachers like say, look, that
22:49
what, what's, what have you done differently?
22:50
Actually, I've turned up to a weekend session.
22:52
Coach Mel's really helped me. Coach ABS helped me a lot to
22:55
just discover what the confidence I needed to do.
22:58
Just it helped me to actually push myself and understand and
23:01
guess what, I'm playing getting better, a little bit of cricket
23:03
as well. Yeah, yeah.
23:04
And sports, such a powerful thing, isn't it?
23:06
So that must really help with tackling those issues that, like
23:10
I say, are huge in in young people's lives these days,
23:12
aren't they? And, and is this just a cricket
23:16
E thing or is this a national initiative?
23:18
So. So Wickets is a national
23:20
project. It goes across 19 different hubs
23:24
or programmes across the country and it's not, it's, it kind of
23:28
caters for all. So in Peterborough, for example,
23:30
we have the Super Ones programme as well, which caters towards
23:34
all disabilities or, you know, people for all types of
23:38
disabilities are welcome as well and ages from 12 to 25.
23:42
That also takes place again in, in Peterborough as well.
23:46
Every, I believe, I think it's every Thursdays from 5:30 to
23:51
7:00 at Milford Community Centre.
23:54
Again, we we're opening up to anyone from all different
23:57
backgrounds as well with disabilities.
23:59
You are able to come along, enjoy the game.
24:01
I guess what get to get to meet the coaches, become, you know,
24:05
become a better version of yourself as well.
24:07
Sure. And, and I believe there's
24:08
something happening that Thomas Deacon at the end of this month
24:12
roadshow. Yeah.
24:13
So Cricket East works alongside Lord Stabeness for the weakest
24:18
program that we've just discussed and the Super ones
24:20
alongside the actual our own hubs that we run.
24:24
We have our own youth county age group program that we have
24:28
called a Hotshots program and this is again from the years of
24:32
age 5, school year age 5-6 and seven hot soils 2026.
24:37
We're hoping for it to be the biggest, biggest, bigger than
24:40
it's ever been before. A number one aim of that program
24:44
is for us to grow the love of the game.
24:46
It's not just about the talent as we've discussed about trying
24:49
to nurture the talent that someone actually has for the
24:52
love of the game as well. These, these are, they're free
24:56
spaces for anyone who is on free school meals.
24:58
And if anyone you know, there is also support to fund anyone on
25:03
low income as well. So again, these are the other
25:05
options that we have to enable to us to actually get trying to
25:09
get the youngsters who maybe want to develop the cricketer
25:11
beam over as well. So that's taken us on the 29th
25:14
of November from two to four, 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM at Thomas
25:19
Eakin Academy. Fabulous and and so very, very
25:22
inclusive program. And then you mentioned
25:24
disability there as well. Some sports lend themselves more
25:29
to disabled players. How's cricket in that?
25:34
How? Cricket, I tell you what, I've
25:37
been involved in cricket now for a while and I the, the, how much
25:41
passion I see, especially from the work that we're doing,
25:44
especially with disabled from, from a disability side of
25:47
things, the work that we're putting in and how much passion
25:50
we have. And I take, take a look at the
25:52
likes of the Lord's happiness and what the work that they're
25:53
doing. And cricket is the work that
25:55
we're doing now. It's, it's wonderful to see.
25:58
And and that that's just literally if you look, take a
26:01
step back and see how much work that we're putting in, the
26:04
options are there, the opportunities are there, take
26:06
the most of the opportunity and make the most of them.
26:08
Fabulous well it's great to see inclusion and diversity is what
26:13
this show is all about it's about getting young people
26:16
playing cricket and if they can do that no matter what their
26:19
background, no matter what their their future holds then that
26:22
that's a fabulous thing. We're going to be back very
26:25
shortly talking some more. We'll talk some more about
26:29
Hotshots and and the pathway for young people to maybe pro
26:34
cricket. You're listening to PCR sports.
26:46
What was one person? OK.
26:47
We're back and we mentioned Hotshots there.
26:50
We'll bring the guys back in here and bring you in KN if we
26:54
can. Hotshots.
26:56
This is the pathway program looking for young kids who
27:02
really want to make their name in cricket.
27:04
And this is how you pick them up.
27:05
Yeah, tell me a bit about that. So it's early engagement program
27:09
that we've got from the early pathway.
27:12
So school ages 5-6 and seven and these programs are available
27:19
over an 8 week period which will be starting soon in
27:22
Peterborough. So if parents want to get their
27:24
youngsters involved and get the signed up again on our social
27:27
zone, which we'll give later on, has enabled you to actually sign
27:30
up to that as well. And as we mentioned, the free
27:33
spaces for those on free school meals and there is a support
27:36
fund available for anyone on low income as well.
27:38
So again, don't hesitate to get in quick.
27:41
Please just get get into contact with us and we can again
27:44
signpost. We can advise what we think is
27:46
the best thing for you as well. That's amazing, bringing that
27:48
inclusivity thing again, which is fabulous.
27:50
And what are you actually looking for at that age?
27:52
So if somebody, if young, young boy or girl comes to you, what
27:56
are you looking for? So.
27:57
For us, that program specifically, it's about growing
28:00
the love for the game and making them want to come back every
28:03
week, making it fun, safe and inclusive so you can see how
28:06
they want to progress and not just because they've been forced
28:10
to. Us, our coach is telling the
28:11
coach K is telling us to do this.
28:12
Or my mom and dad. No, I want, we want to kind of
28:14
grow their own, nurture their own love for the game as well
28:17
and just build on it and build on that.
28:18
And then as they kind of go through the pathway and that
28:21
gives them opportunities to then get into the pathway and work
28:24
towards developing themselves as players as well.
28:27
And the funding from this is Lords talent.
28:30
This is this is through Cricket E itself.
28:32
So it's all through Cricket E Lords talent look after the
28:34
wicket side and Super One side. And now when we're talking about
28:37
talent pathway, it is through the actual County Board of
28:40
Cricket East. And let's let's talk a little
28:43
bit about that pathway then if, if there is a really promising
28:47
young cricketer, what does that pathway look like?
28:50
So we have our age groups under thirteens, 15/16/17 and up to
28:54
under eighteens and again within.
28:57
So you have your age, age categories for the county age
29:00
group pathway. And if we see you know it's
29:04
potential for players to we have an emerging player pathway as
29:07
well. So slightly different path which
29:08
we have linked with our N Hands partners for for the major
29:12
nature of counties for the boys and we have Essex for the girls
29:15
as well. So again, that enables us to
29:18
have that opportunity to, you know, develop that player if you
29:22
spot that development and move them on and develop them as well
29:25
and actually spot along the way as well.
29:28
Do you kind of support that player through the Cricket E
29:30
banner or do you, I don't know, align them with a club in the
29:33
area or how does that? Work.
29:34
So these a lot of these players, they have to be playing as part
29:37
of a club first. And we're in our area in the
29:40
post code and live in the area as well.
29:43
If they are part of a club, that just enables us to kind of keep
29:46
track of the player as well. And usually the clubs would be
29:48
the ones who actually say this is a player come across to
29:52
cricket E during our trials and doing our actual observation
29:55
process. Those players would be kind of
29:58
signposted from the clubs across to our trials.
30:00
So we've we've just done our phase one.
30:03
We're in the middle of sort of progressing the next set of
30:06
players over to and if for a reason players, you know, that
30:09
happens in the game don't quite make the cut for or don't quite
30:12
make the grade for the next that days, We don't just finish them.
30:15
We have an MCC foundation as well, which enables players who
30:18
didn't quite maybe have the ability to get into the the
30:21
actual county age group. They get offered the MCC
30:24
foundation as well. And this year the slightly
30:26
different were actually involving the county players as
30:28
well as the MCC players. So you're continuously working
30:31
with each other, you're challenging yourselves, you're
30:33
developing yourself as players as well.
30:35
So the opportunities to play kind of all year round is there.
30:39
And and Mel talking about wickets again.
30:42
So if somebody is involved, a young person is involved with
30:45
the wickets programme, are you looking for that talent as well?
30:48
Just secretly, yeah. Of course, if we spot some
30:51
talent we'll send them the right direction, but that's that's not
30:54
really what wickets is about. Wickets is is for everyone.
30:56
If you've never touched a cricket bat before, you can
30:58
still come to wickets and have a good time.
31:00
Sure, sure. And Jonathan, we'll bring you in
31:02
there. So talking back to that pathway,
31:05
then of course we're not a first class county round here.
31:09
So how does is is that? Is that a hindrance for a a
31:14
young cricketer? Not at all.
31:16
You think, like I say, Charlotte Edwards, Huntingshire lady who
31:18
of course made it for England. I can also think of other
31:21
cricketers as well, Zach Chapler.
31:23
I can also think of Pat Brown who who just two youngsters, 3
31:26
youngsters there that of course made a system professionally.
31:29
I can think of a number of youngsters who I've come across
31:32
in hunts who have gone on to play for Leicestershire in the
31:36
county or, or, or Essex as well. So like I say, people develop at
31:40
different, at the different levels of, of life, playing,
31:42
playing a game of cricket and also playing other sports as
31:43
well. But like I say, there's a
31:45
springboard, 2 bigger things at 18 count first class counties.
31:49
There's an opportunity for you. And like I say, you might not
31:52
make it this year, but in 12 months and now things might
31:54
change and, and things can, things can change very, very
31:57
quickly in sport. In fact, they can in life as
31:59
well. Indeed, and the we, although
32:01
we're not a first class county, we are surrounded by first class
32:04
counties and and you cricket easily regularly in touch with
32:07
them talking about promising and players and stuff like.
32:10
That very much so just because cricket, Easties, hunts and
32:13
beds. We are constantly in
32:15
communication with Essex, as mentioned earlier, N Hanson,
32:17
Leicestershire as well and it's right, but these counties are
32:21
aware of of the talented youngsters, both boys and girls
32:24
that that we have and try and signpost them in that direction.
32:27
I think you were talking off there as well about a new team
32:31
that is is being looked at for hunts and beds.
32:35
Ladies, you were telling me. Yeah, Hunts and Beds Ladies
32:38
started back in January this year.
32:40
A combined team playing in Tier 3 of a National Women's
32:43
Championship have played this year against Dorset Home and
32:46
away, Cornwall Home and away have been to Oxfordshire, but
32:49
also they've been been to Herefordshire, so they've played
32:52
at Hertfordshire. I should say that they've played
32:54
some great matches this year. There's some matches this summer
32:57
at autumn and Park and matches at Civil Park, Peterborough Town
33:00
and Bedford Modern School as well.
33:01
The fixtures are coming out start of December and very soon
33:04
the venues will be arranged. So that's a great, let's say
33:07
please keep out keep please keep looking at the Cricket E
33:09
website. There'll be fixtures on there
33:10
and likewise also mentioned women's cricket there.
33:13
We have got some girls opportunity coming up.
33:15
I said earlier Peterborough Town girls are going throughout or
33:18
winter 6:00 to 7:30 at the Peterborough School.
33:20
But also Cricket E the women and girls team have got particularly
33:23
just purely for hunts girls. Saturday the 22nd of November
33:26
which is a week tomorrow and Saturday leave the 6th of
33:28
December. There's two till 4 two hours at
33:30
Sawtry Leisure Centre. If you're 8910 or 11, never
33:33
tried it before or you love it with your club and want to play
33:35
more 2 till 4 indoors it beyond trust me.
33:38
There'll be no issues with the weather.
33:39
It'll be on 2 till 4:00 and if you if we get to get in touch
33:43
for Damian and Emily, they had to contact details on the
33:44
Cricket E website or just turn up 10 minutes before at 1:50.
33:47
Fabulous loads, loads going on it seems with the with the in
33:52
the cricket world, even though it's been chucked in that of
33:55
rain all day and it gives you it gives you a great opportunity,
33:58
doesn't it, cricket to do that. Just travelling.
34:00
You mentioned some great places to go there.
34:02
So it gives these young people chance to travel a bit and and
34:05
play these away games as well. That's one good thing about
34:08
cricket, isn't it? You're not confined to local.
34:11
Very much so with my coaching, my playing and my umpire and
34:14
both in hockey and cricket. I've been some great venues over
34:17
the last 2530 years and I'd say I've been some new ones this
34:20
year. I'm going to go some new ones
34:22
next year. I know already.
34:23
So like I say it is absolutely. We've got some excellent
34:25
facilities locally, but travelling to different places
34:28
around the UK and even overseas, you do see some brilliant,
34:31
brilliant sports facilities and it makes you realise how lucky
34:34
we actually are. And just finally then it's it
34:39
seems that we should stop talking about COVID now.
34:41
It seems a long time ago, but for me cricket was one of the
34:44
sports that really changed through COVID.
34:47
Playing local cricket myself, things like cricket Tees stopped
34:52
and things like that. It'd be great to get your view
34:54
on post COVID local cricket, you know, and what it looks, what
34:58
the game looks like today. Yeah, it has changed a bit, but
35:01
I mean there's not as many Tees, but that's not just because of
35:03
COVID. There were stricter food hygiene
35:05
regulations brought out in November 2019, which some people
35:08
have lost on because of COVID, came four months later.
35:11
But there's some people that didn't play any year 2020, there
35:13
was only an 8 or 9 week season, not the normal 22 week season.
35:17
But there are now lots and lots of people who have very much
35:20
since definitely since the start of 2022 back on poem back
35:23
playing and it's, it's basically got back to where it was in 2019
35:27
for me. Fabulous.
35:28
If I could just add on that is, and this is where my job role
35:31
comes in. Now what I'm looking to do is,
35:32
as JB Riley said, it's, it's the umpires, it's, it's the scorers,
35:36
it's a groundsman. It's, it's the work that goes on
35:39
behind the scenes that we're trying to promote and just as
35:41
much as the playing side as well.
35:42
So, and don't forget we've got adults, we've got players, we've
35:44
got parents, we've got volunteers, cricket needs, you
35:48
know, we need to work together to kick it back to those that.
35:51
So again, we know we've got a few, a few different plans in
35:53
the, in the pipeline trying to get adults, trying to get
35:56
parents involved, mums, dads, etcetera.
35:59
We do need to work towards that as well.
36:00
So look, we've got lots and lots of plans to keep an eye on what
36:02
we've got going on in our websites.
36:04
Indeed. And what do you do there in
36:06
terms? You mentioned umpires, for
36:07
example, other officials, you know, people who managed to
36:10
score boards and things like that.
36:11
So obviously you said you put a lot of emphasis on on technical
36:15
training and and nurturing of players.
36:17
What what do you offer for the kind of non playing part of the
36:20
of course, imagine how people get involved.
36:22
So I'm being an ECB coach developer.
36:24
One of the job roles that I have is actually developing coaches.
36:27
So we as a county board offer courses for coaching, actually
36:32
getting people involved. So we've got our first level
36:34
coaching as a support coach, followed by foundation coach,
36:37
followed by Co coaching. So you work with of coaching
36:39
badges. Again, we as a county board
36:41
deliver those sessions as well, which we're currently in the
36:45
middle of doing on that right now in Peterborough, Gladstone
36:47
Park Community Centre. We also have umpiring courses as
36:50
well which we can help getting the ball rolling with as well.
36:52
We have communication with the local EC, with the ECBACO and so
36:56
again, we have grandspend of courses as well.
36:59
So of course, again without, without grounds, you know,
37:01
without groundspeople you cannot have actual games taking place.
37:04
So there are numerous opportunities that we have,
37:07
scoring opportunities, we run regular CPDS, schools, etcetera.
37:11
So get in touch if you if you want to get involved in any form
37:14
of format of the game or anything you feel as if you
37:16
think you need a bit of advice, that's what we're here for.
37:19
And and how can people get in touch?
37:21
The best thing will be is on our website crickete.co.uk.
37:24
We have lots of stuff that's been shared recently on our
37:28
social media accounts as well. So again, it's cricket ES on
37:30
Instagram, cricket ES on Twitter, Cricket E on Facebook,
37:33
LinkedIn. We're, we're just trying to get
37:36
as much promotion out there and just to so exactly advertise or
37:39
what we're doing and trying to get trying to get more people
37:42
involved. Fantastic.
37:43
Well, we, we say this every week that the show just flies by, but
37:47
it really has done tonight. That was thank you so much for
37:49
that amazing insight into local cricket, cricket East and and
37:53
what's available for young people in Hunts and
37:57
Peterborough. So you can listen again to this
37:59
show on PCRFM website that will be up in about an hour or so.
38:04
Or you can listen to the podcast version of the show, which will
38:06
be on our social media pages from tomorrow.
38:10
I think it's going to be a very wet weekend, but good luck if
38:14
you're out there watching, playing or volunteering at any
38:17
sporting event this weekend. We'll be back next Friday.
38:20
Please join us.