Below are some case studies and profiles of players that are currently involved with Surrey VI cricket and how VI cricket has impacted their life.
Leanne Harvey - Surrey VI Team Wicket Keeper
I started playing cricket 8 years ago at the age of 14 years old, when a coach from a charity started working with a local SEN school in my area. I was asked along to the taster session but I had no idea of how the game of cricket was even played. However, that 2 hour session opened my eyes to what someone with a visual impairment could achieve and I haven’t stopped playing since.
When I first started playing VI cricket I was very shy and could not communicate very well with others. I had no confidence or self-esteem and I constantly struggle with the fear of being alone, that includes walking into another room in my own home and never leaving the house alone.
However, since then I have been part of two tours with a men's England development team flying all the way to Barbados and Jamaica between 2010-2013 and in 2014 I was part of the UK’s first VI all female team who went on tour to Nepal. I attended these trips without family members, which was a huge step for me.
These trips, along with playing VI cricket, have helped me to build up my confidence, self-esteem and communications skills. VI cricket requires constant communication between players to enable the whole team to be aware of what is happening on the pitch. This has enabled me to speak louder and freely among small groups of people who I don’t know very well. It has also allowed me to tell people how I am feeling and even carry out simple tasks such as paying for something at the checkout. VI Cricket has helped me to become more independent and I have learnt over the years that having a visual impairment doesn’t stop you from travelling independently, getting employment and living life to the full!
VI cricket has changed my life for the better and I truly believe the help and support that I have received through playing VI cricket has made me the person I am today. I hope it will continue to help others with a visual impairment in the same way it has helped me.
Lois Turner - Surrey VI Team Vice Captain
Lois is currently the Vice-captain of Surrey VI cricket squad and Captain of the International VI Ladies cricket squad.
Lois has always known that her vision will continue to deteriorate. She was told that she would be totally blind by 18 and although, thankfully, that isn’t the case yet she knows that it is a very real prospect. Despite this, Lois remains a very bubbly and positive person, always offering support to others and setting an amazing example with her ‘can do’ attitude.
Lois says that a lot of the confidence she has is due to her involvement in VI cricket. Lois got involved with VI cricket at a young age and describes it as her support group providing her with the opportunity to meet a wide variety of people who share a common passion. “VI cricket has helped me in so many ways. It’s helped me to find a job, given me the support skills I need to enable me to live by myself and removed me from isolation.”
Lois also credits VI cricket with helping her to ‘mourn’ the loss of her sight and come to terms with whatever the future holds. “I feel quite lucky really because I have many role models who can help me and there are always people who have far worse stories to tell”
Storme Dunford - Surrey VI Team, Youngest Player
In 2011 I took my daughter, Storme aged 8, along to winter cricket training with Frimley Cricket Club. She really enjoyed herself taking part in all the drills and games. One of the coaches recommended that, as she had done so well, I should investigate Visually Impaired cricket.
The Surrey squad now boasts people aged from 9 to over 70 years old and not only has Storme had the opportunity to train throughout the year but also play matches against other sides, both VI and sighted clubs - the highlight of which was putting on a VI cricket demonstration at the Kia Oval during a test match.
However, it is not just taking part in a new sport that has been so beneficial, it’s the other life skills that Storme has been able to develop. At school, Storme now has a sport she can talk about, and other children want to play cricket with her. From being the person who was different, she is now playing a sport where people are looking up to her and her confidence has gone through the roof.
I did want to share this small anecdote with you:
“During one VI training, I couldn’t work out why Storme would chase the ball to the boundary and then give it to John, a 70 year old who is completely blind (B1). I asked John if she was in his way, he said no, they had worked out between them that Storme would run to the boundary singing to herself, as she often does, John would then follow the sound of her voice until they got to the ball. As the ball was quite heavy for Storme she wouldn’t be able to throw it very far so she would pass it to John who would hurl it in one bounce to the keeper”.
Josh Nonet-Black - Surrey VI Team & England Blind Squad
I heard about the Surrey Cricket Foundation starting a VI Cricket side and decided to go along to the first session as I thought I would like to get in to a VI sport. At the first training session, there were over 10 people attendance that were all of a wide range of ages, from 8 year olds to grown men. There were also varying degrees of visual impairment, from totally blind like me (b1) to slightly visually impaired (b4). It was a great opportunity for me to socialise with people who I had never met before.
As the training sessions progressed, our cricket skills, as well as our teamwork and communication developed. We learnt that in April 2012, we would be playing our first match against Frimley CC, and for the first time, we would be playing outdoors. This was quite daunting, but also exciting prospect for me because the environment and acoustics are very different and the itself game is different when played outside.
A lot of spectators came down to watch the game including the mayor of Surrey Heath. The atmosphere was lively and tense and the match was a great success, with the Frimley cricket players finding it a lot harder than they had thought, which was entertaining for us all! It was great fun to be a part of it.
Just 2 and a half years after this game, Josh was selected for the England Blind Cricket Squad at the age of 15.
If these profiles have inspired you, and you have a visual impairment and are interested in taking part in VI Cricket, please contact the SCF at disability@surreycricket.com and we will be happy to help.
