The Belvoir Castle Cricket Trust patron Her Grace the Duchess of Rutland.
The Belvoir Castle Cricket Trust on the Knipton Cricket ground near Belvoir Castle.
The Belvoir Castle Cricket Trust
Belvoir Castle
Belvoir, Leicestershire, NG32 1PE
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Telephone Darren Bicknell on 07825 992406 Telephone 01476 848111 Fax:
About us.
The Belvoir Castle Cricket Trust History and Knipton Cricket Ground.
Belvoir Castle Cricket Trust was founded through the work of Phil O’Brien, Stephen Henderson and Darren Bicknell. The cricket ground at Knipton is one of the best cricket grounds in the area in view of Belvoir Castle and home to Belvoir CC. The ground is maintained to a county cricket standard. Many cricketers from Notts and Leicester CC have graced this ground Sir Richard Hadlee and Clive Rice held their testimonials matches on the ground. Derek Randle better know by his fans as Arkle! Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1980 and Basher Hassan, (Sheikh Basharat Hassan) along with Brian Christopher Broad, Stuarts Dad! and other great Notts players entertained and enjoyed the games held at Knipton.The ground is set in picturest settings and has a great wicket and outfield all the cricket facilities are on hand, nets, pavillion, scorboard, practice pitch, site screens the lot.
Village cricket at its best the Belvoir Castle trust cricket ground.
If you are looking for a quite days entertainment, then you are in for a treat here, as soon as the covers and groundsman has roled the wicket, marked out the crease and the skippers have tossed the coin to see who will bat and who will bowl the sceen is set! As those umpires in clean white coats walk out to the wicket one with a panamar hat, the other a bowls white cap and sunglasses on, jugling the new ball and contemplating taking the first over from a long ago! The sceen is alive with expectation, they push the stumps in the ground and place the bails on, we have game on, from the moment the new ball is passed to the opening bowler, the wicket keeper in new white pads and red gloves bends down having taken all the warm up exersises like a true pro.You will be looking at the bowler trundling in to bowl that first ball and over on a sunny day nothing could be better. Soon the sounds of the batsman stiking those boundrays with that clunck sound of bat on ball, the calling for that quick run, nothing could be better seeing than that cry of catch it! And the first catch taken in the deep or in the slips. The sound of timbers being knocked out of the ground, the hopfull LBW howzat or the no ball and wides singled by the Umpire to the scorer. In the setting at Belvoir Castle cricket ground, this is village cricket at its best and it really is good to see young hopefull county cricket prospects and the game of cricket live on.
Lunch breaks and tea intervals come and go and sides change the field to bat and bowl, the last over is about to be played out, one wicket left in hand, six balls to go and ten runs needed, the gasp of the bowler as the first two balls are played and miss the stumps! The third ball scampered away for one run leaving the number nine batsman on strike, the joy of that forth ball edged to the boundry for four, ball number five a skier to third man who drops it! Two runs taken, and the field gathers its self for that last ball, the bowler puts a sprint in to his run up and delivers a bouncer and with speed and venum, the anticipation of all spectators, as the batsmen dispaches a hook shot that takes flight like a plane taking off higher and higher over mid wicket, the fielder in the deep is under it, as the sun gets in his eyes, he leaps to try and pluck the ball for that catch out of the air, he lands in despair as the ball sails over his head, over the pavillion and lands with a thud on the bonnet of a car parked behind the nets! Its a six and the game is won, the players in the pavillion leap to their feet the crowd clap out load, the new young number nine batsman is carried aloft from the field by the his team mates streaming onto the pitch. The guys whos car has just got an insurance claim to deal walks over to look at his brand new car, first day out his pride and joy with a great big fat dent in the bonnett. He marches in to the pavillion to confront the culprit and walks up to him and is happy to shake his hand.
Well it was his son who hit the winning six! Cars can be mended but stylish new batmen need to be brought on! Next stop the ashes!
c JHMB copyright Village cricket 2010
History of the Belvoir Castle Trust founded in 2006.
It all began in 2006, when Phil wanted to find junior cricket for his 8 year old son in Knipton the village he had recently moved to. The local club had just started junior cricket again after a gap of some years but could not accommodate children this young. Phil decided that insted of being stumped or caught ou he would bowl a few maiden overs to help to get a junior initiative get underway.The Belvoir Bees was started in April 2007 by Phil with the help of Keith Tongue of Nottinghamshire Country Cricket Club.
The launch night of the Belvoir Castle cricket Trust.
Leicestershire CC loaning their Twenty20 Cup for the evening. During the first season, Stephen Henderson (a former county cricketer and active MCC committee member) brought his sons along to enjoy the sessions. Phil and Stephen struck up a friendship and they hatched plans to develop the Bees and explore other ways of taking advantage of the beautiful venue in the grounds of Belvoir Castle.
I am delighted to be the Patron of the Belvoir Castle Cricket Trust. Over the last 3 years I have seen the development of opportunities for youngsters in our rural community develop at Knipton – and have enjoyed my involvement both as a parent with young children and being able to help Phil, Stephen and Darren set up the Trust.
Her Grace the Duchess of Rutland with members of the Belvoir Castle cricket trust.
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BCCT’s mission is to encourage participation in cricket in rural communities and to create access to cricket and the countryside for disadvantaged young people. Our target groups are young people who want to play cricket and enjoy the countryside, adults who want to develop their coaching skills, and families that want to strengthen their community ties through sport.
Belvoir Castle Cricket Trust has three clear aims.
Engaging young people and families living in rural communities in regularly playing and watching cricket; putting sport at the heart of the community. Our ‘cricket in rural communities’ programme, based on the successful Belvoir Bees’ model, delivers first class cricket coaching to young people. The programme is equally supportive of those seeking to develop sporting excellence and of those who want to just ‘have a go’ in a friendly, family oriented environment.
Creating access for disadvantaged young people to cricket and countryside activities. Our Cricket & Countryside Schools’ Days combine opportunities for disadvantaged school children to participate in sports such as cricket and orienteering with educational activities that introduce them to the working life of the countryside.
The trust has entered into twinning arrangement with the Bradman Foundation. Don Bradman the all time Australia cricket legend and long time links to English cricket was formed in February, the Trust hosted an Evening with Aggers. Jonathan Agnew, a well-known resident of the Vale of Belvoir was our host and he was joined by another “lad from the Vale”, Australian Ashes and England Cricketer Stuart Broad.
Open the batting and volunteer and help build the Belvoir cricket trust.
To enquire about volunteering please contact Darren Bicknell on 07825 992406
Belvoir Castle Cricket Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales (1131442)
and a company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales company number 6798047.