Victorious Somerset disabled club to attract more cricketers

A disability cricket club, which has been crowned national champions, said it aimed to build on the success and welcome more players.

Captain Nick Dean, 31, who has familial spastic diplegia affecting movement in his legs, said playing in the inclusive environment of the club had "changed his life".

SDCC will celebrate the win at an end of season party at the Somerset County Ground in October and spend the winter "growing and getting better".

Dean, from Devon, said the ethos of the club was focused on enjoyment, and winning the title was a bonus.

"I can't stop grinning because it does feel like validation and reward for years of hard work, so it's really, really special," he told BBC Bristol.

Dean, who has been playing at the club for 17 years and been captain since 2018, has someone who runs for him when he is batting, but said the game still took a "huge toll" on his body.

"It's about acknowledging what parts of my game I need to adapt from traditional technique or traditional ways of coaching," he said.

"It's really just understanding how you can manipulate the game to suit your strengths; that's been my approach to it," he said.

Since SDCC - which describes itself as "a club run by disabled people for disabled people" - was formed in 1997, it has become one of the leading disability cricket clubs in England.

Supported by the Somerset Cricket Foundation, the club has developed a reputation both for competitive success and for making cricket accessible to people with a wide range of disabilities.

It started with nine players and now has 36 members and three teams.

One of the winning players, Jack Smith, said: "Being a part of such an inclusive club has allowed me to not only enjoy playing cricket, but create friendships with my teammates and families of players that I value so much."

Teammate Jack Milton added: "I've been playing for the club since I was 16 years old so seeing the developments of the club and players is just phenomenal."

"When they're playing cricket, it's almost like their disability, which may be a learning or physical difficulty, just sort of disappears and they just love to be out on the field.

"There are a lot more people who could benefit from this sort of environment, so the discussions off-season will be about how do we keep growing and getting better."

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