Students from Cambian Whinfell School had a day to remember as they travelled to the home of cricket to take part in the Lord’s Taverners National Table Cricket Finals.

The Kendal school were one of 12 sides competing in the Nursery Pavilion at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground for the right to call themselves national champions, finishing in fourth.  

Cambian Whinfell are no strangers to Lord’s, having reached the finals last year, and this time their student Noah Hancroft was named Player of the Tournament.

Teacher Vicky Downie said: “It’s lovely seeing them play together as a team, smiling and gaining in confidence and the achievement, you see it in their faces. 

“I think it’s really important and it’s shown that with the huge variety of players that are here with all sorts of different needs, and they’ve all been able to play.    

“On the whole they’ve really enjoyed it, especially the ones who may not find some sports accessible to them so that’s been good 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. Many young people with a disability have limited opportunities to participate in sport, but table cricket provides an incredible opportunity for them to make new friends and develop life skills such as confidence and independence, while also helping them understand the importance of leadership and teamwork in competitive environments.

Cambian Whinfell captain Finlay Knott added: “It feels good to represent the school. 

"Whinfell’s such a small school so you don’t meet that many people so it’s quite interesting to go out and play others.    

“I quite like being involved in table cricket as it’s an interesting sport. I quite enjoy that it’s simple but also quite skilled. 

"It’s more about fine motor skills rather than gross motor skills, which people can sometimes struggle with as it might be tricky to throw something far whereas with table cricket, it’s about small movements.”  

Much of the Lord’s Taverners work in cricket for young people with disabilities is made possible thanks to funds raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery and awarded by the Postcode Active Trust, in addition to support from the ECB and Sport England.

Watching on at Lord’s were an array of stars, including TV personality and comedian Matt Lucas as well as England cricketers Jack Leach, Anya Shrubsole, Jonny Gale and Alfie Pyle.

He said: “It’s a pleasure to come down and see everyone enjoying the game. It’s a great game, I had a little go and it’s quite difficult. I enjoyed seeing how competitive everyone is. It’s the national finals, it’s great for kids to be able to come here to the home of cricket to play.  

“It’s everyone’s dream as a kid to play at Lord’s and for them to be able to do that is very special. We want the game to be accessible to everyone. 

"The great work that Lord’s Taverners and the ECB have done to fund this and make it accessible is really special. Everyone deserves that chance, and it is great to see them making the most of it.”

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