Sport England support for local cricket club

Sport England yesterday revealed that more than 1,300 local sports projects across the country have now received National Lottery funding through Inspired Facilities, part of its Olympic and Paralympic legacy program.

England player Chris Tremlett with members of HBBH CC last year.

Holcombe and Blue Bell Hill Cricket Club will receive £50,000 of National Lottery funding to build a new changing room block adjacent to the current pavilion, and to refurbish the existing building into a larger bar and recreation room. The project will allow the club to offer greatly improved sports facilities to members and to also use the refurbished pavilion for a wider range of non-cricket purposes. Meridian Girls Football Club will use the facility in the winter months and the successful bid was a result of close co-operation between the two clubs.

To celebrate the award, local people are being invited to free taster sessions at one of the regular training sessions for all ages. Please contact Head Coach Dave Hayward on 07866 763592 for details.

Sport England's Chair, Nick Bitel, said: "A year on from the Olympics, this National Lottery investment is helping us deliver a lasting sporting legacy in North Kent. With investment now on offer from our Inspired Facilities Fund until 2017, we look forward to supporting many more sports clubs in North Kent who play such a vital role in grassroots sport."

Club Chairman, John Underwood, said: “We are delighted that we now have the funds in place to further develop our facility. This project will allow us to improve the standard of cricket and football we offer in the local community”

Club Facilities Development Officer Colin Dix said “This is a key milestone in the development of our club. Our refurbishment programme is fundamental to our ongoing efforts to grow the club and to strengthen our playing membership for future”.

Local MP, Tracey Crouch, said: “I am absolutely delighted that the Club has been awarded this funding to improve facilities. It will make a huge difference to the development of cricket in the area and support girls football during the winter. This is a really positive step forward for local sport”

Colin Dix and John Underwood speaking about their merger.

Holcombe and Blue Bell Hill Cricket Club is one of well over 300 projects across England receiving lottery investment from the fourth round of the Inspired Facilities fund and one of more than 1,300 to benefit overall. Many more communities are now set to benefit from the hugely popular fund, after Sport England today announced that it was extending Inspired Facilities until 2017, with an additional £40 million of National Lottery funding to invest. Bids will be accepted for the next round of Inspired Facilities funding from the 21 October 2013, You can find out more at: www.sportengland.org/inspiredfacilities

Medway Monday

Silent Sunday

Silent Sunday

Wordless Wednesday

3BT: I know what it is! Don’t tell me ...

You know when you hear a song and you can’t quite place what it’s called or who it’s by? That.

Paul Anka swings rock ...

Alexander Stewart turns blonde ...

re:jazz keep things movin' ...

I know, it's been awhile since I posted here and as you can see the blog has had another re-design! I actually really like this template and background, wishing I'd found them sooner now. Lots of stuff's been happening, England are number one cricketing test team in the world, the McLarens are keeping up in F1 - but it's moving to Sky next year, boo, so we'll forget all about it. C'est La Vie Bernie - you wanna be the biggest spectator sport in the world you gotta be on the station most of us watch - BBC. But then, you're probably veiwing on the way to the bank, so whatever.

Ashes Win for England, Whoop Whoop!

Not just retaining, mind, but a proper outright win in Australia for the first time in twenty-four years! That makes it three out of the last four series I believe - and Captain Andrew Strauss reckons they've yet to hit their peak!

The 3-1 victory was sealed in the final test by an innings and 83 runs slaughter; read all about it courtesy of those nice sports people at the BBC!

Sportsday

So we didn't win the football or the tennis - there's a lot more to British sport and we know it, even if Mr and Mrs Average Joe Public don't! And did I say we didn't win the tennis - it's GB versus GB in the Boys Doubles today! Lewis Burton and George Morgan play Liam Broadby and Tom Farquharson in the first ever all British boys doubles final.

Here's a headline you won't see often - since it's about squash and not football: "England Dominate World Rankings."

Oh, and look here - more World Number One status for Britain - oh, hang on, still not football. No, this time it's Taekwondo, sorry ...

Have I mentioned that we beat the Aussies in cricket? Again.

Archery: Silver and Bronze for Nicky Hunt and Simon Terry at the World Cup in Croatia.

Athletics: Team GB second in the European Team Championships - beating Germany into third place. Well, fancy that! There were victories over their closest rivals in the European Championships for Dwain Chambers, David Greene, Martyn Rooney, Andy Turner and Mo Farah.

Rowing: Six Golds in Bled; another five Golds in Munich, plus sundry others - only missing a medal in two events!

Sailing: Sarah Ayton and Saskia Clark win World Cup Gold.

Cycling: Emma Pooley is the first British cyclist to win the prestigious Tour de l’Aude in France.

Paralympic sport: New world record for Shelly Woods! Hannah Cockroft sets four! Danny Greaves gets in on the act too, in the discus.

Triathlon: Chrissie Wellington wins, Tim Don also wins, the juniors picked up European Team Silver and the Paratriathletes won too!

Golf: Graeme McDowell wins the US Open! The US Open ... I know, who? He's from Northern Ireland.

Equestrian: Sharon Hunt wins the Classics event in Germany.

And it might not be a world victory but it means as much to handball as world glory to us in football (Ok, more than that!) Well done! Onwards and upwards!

Canoeing: Rachel Cawthorn won two gold and a bronze at the Canoe Sprint World Cup in Germany; Liam Heath and Jonathan Schofield took World Cup Gold in the Kayak double in Hungary, with Ed McKeever taking Gold in the Kayak singles at the same event; Liam and Jonathan followed with a repeat result in Germany, although a bronze this time for Ed. Fiona Pennie has taken silver and bronze in recent Slalom World Cup events.

We're just so terrible at sport, aren't we ;-)

England Win 20/20 Cricket World Cup!

By slaughtering the Aussies, Oh, Yes! With 7 wickets and 3 overs remaining - our first one day title in 35 years! Kevin Pietersen *swoon* (and congratulations to him and Jessica on the birth of their baby son) won Player of the Tournament, with Craig Kieswetter Man of the Match.

Full details on the BBC Sport website.

Sportsday

Cricket - England take a one-nil lead in the series against South Africa; Golf - Lee Westwood wins the Dubai World Championship, thus ending the season as Numero Uno in Europe!

Cycling - Wendy Houvenhagel takes Individual Gold in Melbourne World Cup and a team silver; Silver for Team Pursuitists. Matt Crampton took the bronze in the Men's Sprint.

Boxing - Rendall Munroe retains his European super bantamweight title.

Wheelchair Tennis - Peter Norfolk becomes World Number One, after winning the Quad Singles at the Wheelchair Masters.

Skeleton Bob - Shelley Rudman wins Silver in the World Cup. Wish they'd make their minds up as to whether it's Bob Skeleton or Skeleton Bob. Bob Skeleton doesn't sound as good, but Skeleton Bob sounds like a Krusty the Clown sidekick.

Bowls- Paul Foster wins six World Tour titles, beating the record of fellow Scot, Alex Marshall.

Taekwondo - 18 year old Aaron Cook won the 80kg Gold at the World Taekwondo Tour Event, beating the reigning World Champion and triple Olympic medallist Steven Lopez! *Gets even more excited about 2012* 18 years old and already taking scalps like that!

Chrissie Wellington is the Sunday Times Sportswoman of the Year.

Two Favourite Things: Music and Sport

There's far too much info for me to copy, so here are the links to two terrific interviews with the Ivory Queen of Soul herself, Teena Marie, who is the subject of an American show 'Unsung' - which I'm hoping she'll have to hand on her website at some point; and cricket legend and former Strictly Come Dancing winner, Mark Ramprakash, who'll be taking part in the next Strictly tour. I got my tickets today!

3BT: Twinterview, cricket, funny story!

The second 'twinterview' has been posted, it's with dancer and choreographer Leah Hather (@Brighteyes08) of Bright Eyes Long Lashes dance group. Mosey on over and check out the Pirates at WITS End video, it's excellent!

Congratulations to Charlotte Edwards and the England Ladies cricket team, who have won their 20/20 World Cup to go with the 50 over game and the Ashes. See, if you want something done, ask a woman. Unless it's houswork, in which case just ignore me.

Crop Circles Culprits Finally Discovered: I couldn't make it up! Really, I don't think I'd have thought of it, although I shall probably nick the idea at some point ...

3BT: Music, cricket, coincidence

This song by Enrique Iglesias and Ciara is really growing on me, possibly because I think it’ll make for a terrific Paso Doble!

Matt’s team lost out to a very good side in last night’s cricket match, but two wins out of three games so far isn’t bad, considering they range from 7-10 years old in an Under 11’s side. As a brand new team together though they are gelling nicely – and they learn quick, though I’m not sure if hearing 8 year olds sledging is a good or a bad thing!

I was driving home from work and was stopped in a queue of traffic outside a Christian Book Shop. And literally as I stopped, George Michael came on the radio with Faith!

The things they do

Just dropped Matt off at cricket; he started off in the car with sweatshirt and rain jacket on, by the time we got there he’d managed to take the jacket off and not only that, he’d somehow managed to get the sleeve stuck inside the cricket bat handle.

Now if you’re familiar with the anatomy of a cricket bat, you’ll know that the handle shaft is covered tightly in rubber. So Matt must have rolled it down, put the sleeve in, then rolled it back up again. He looked panic stricken when I stopped and was frantically trying to pull the rubber down again to get his sleeve out. Three guesses who had to do it - and you can imagine what that looked like. I’m just glad I wasn’t parked in front of everyone outside the club house. Honestly.

Sporty 3BT

England's Women win the Cricket World Cup. Didn't you see the ticker tape and triumphant open top bus parade? Honestly, where were you? Or maybe that'll be next week?

Tune in for the Cycling World Championships, coverage starts on BBC2 at 7pm on Wednesday.

Breaking News: Footballing Teenager re-christened ‘The Hobbit’.

He was curled up in a ball on the sofa, asleep after the game yesterday - all we could see was a pair of dirty feet. They were probably like it before he went football.

3bt: Final cricket training (already??? Where did summer go?)

Last in, first up for a hotdog off the barbecue. I don't mess about.

Showed a 21 year old how to make the perfect cuppa. You know, he nearly put the water in first! The Youth of Today *rolls eyes*

Matt and his friend Josh, pretending to be Dr.Who fighting the Daleks. They must have covered the entire field three times over.


*picks up eyes and dusts them off*

3BT: 2008 Cricket debut

First beautiful sunny day of the season to watch Hubby and Teen playing for the Firsts. Who said the Firsts were desperate? Wasn't me, I swear!

Littl'un and me have our own game during the Tea Break. Guess who spends the whole time bowling? Which is fine by me. It's a very genteel game we play: I bowl, he hits it. I have a leisurely stroll to retreive, while he runs himself to an early night, between stumps comprising a football at one end and a block of wood containing three varyingly sized sticks at the other. Just before the end of tea, I stump him and I get to bat. Just the once but at least it's a four. He wins by 149 runs!


The battle for boundaries
Soft leather on strong willow
Scorching sun dries the crease yellow
Clouted cover flies overhead
Index finger rises skywards
Lower order, steadfast at stumps