Mixed Disability Cricket, was founded in Oswestry in May 1989. A small group of dedicated workers realised the potential enjoyment and sense of achievement that this sport offered to people who were unable to play in matches organised for their able-bodied counterparts.
The Cricket Federation for People with Disabilities was formed to give people with mixed disabilities the opportunity to develop from Club to County to Area and on to International competitions regardless of the severity of their disability.
We introduced three categories of disability -Zephyr for those with a low level of disability, Zenith for those with a medium level of disability and Zodiac for those with a high level of disability. This action was taken to ensure that those players with a higher level of disability would have equal opportunities to develop to excellence. We believe that people with disabilities should benefit in the way that all sportsmen benefit with the pride, the fun and the ‘looking forward’ to the next match in the way in which able bodied people do. They have the added bonus that playing a competitive sport can and often does increase their ability and decreases their disability slightly.
Carers have found that they have time to themselves, and the players’ attitude changes when they discover they do have ability. We now have umpires and scorers officiating from a wheelchair.
We play our matches on local cricket club grounds and at high profile venues such as Lords, The Oval and Old Trafford.
Only funding restricts us from expanding the scheme overseas (Other countries have been introduced to the Sport). We also need other countries to tour in the U.K. We have already appointed an International Umpire, Ajid from Sri Lanka.
The first fully comprehensive coaching book for people with disabilities is featured on this web site.

INFORMATION

Balls
We do not play with hard cricket balls.
Some Zephyr Category players have asked us about the possibility of playing with a normal cricket Ball. To date no decision has been taken by the C.F.P.D. or the E.C.B.

Matches
We use the EASTON INCREDIBALL (Safety Cricket Ball)
Core = Soft Polyurethane
Seam = Six stitch construction
Cover = Hard wearing synthetic material
Performance = Looks and performs like a regular cricket ball

Practice Matches and initial matches for coaching and introduction
We use the Reader Windball and ordinary tennis balls.

Bats
To date we use the Kwik Cricket plastic bats and traditional lightweight cricket bats. We encourage players to purchase their own personal cricket bats which must be suitable. i.e. Light, well balanced and not too large.

Stumps
Kwik Cricket - spring loaded - ordinary Cricket stumps - depending on whether playing indoors or outside.
Note: the C.F.P.D make their own stumps available for indoor use.

Scoring
Use score sheets or scoring books as normal.
The C.F.P.D. have designed score sheets for beginners and we are also designing portable cheap score boards.

Pitches
Zephyr and Zenith to date = 22 yards normal cricket pitch
Zodiac to date = 16 metres. We use extra marking to reduce the length of distance run by players in wheelchairs/on sticks etc. Bowlers with very weak arms also use these marked creases.

PLEASE EMAIL [email protected] FOR FURTHER DETAILS