On Wednesday the club was well represented at this years Wiltshire Grassroot Cricket Awards. These awards are part of the National Cricket Collective awards and recognise outstanding input into cricket within the County. The evening celebrated great things happening across the cricket landscape and was a pleasure to attend.

Swindon CC is proud of it’s volunteers and was represented in five awards (winning three) and also received a separate special recognition award for the Under 9s cricket section. Huge congratulations go all of those that were nominated this year and in particular those who scooped the top honours. The club has achieved some brilliant things in 2024, but without the wide and varied range of volunteers this would not have been possible.

Details of all the winners and nominees are below. If they inspire you to get involved and make a difference at the club and in your community, please reach out to a committee member or coach who can help you get involved.

WINNER – Keron Bennet-Thomas
The Metro Bank Champion of Girls’ Cricket Award
Keron, currently playing in Australia, was pleased to hear he had won this award. His nomination detailed how “Keron has followed on his 2023 coaching work with the U15’s to launching our first women and girls team in 2024. Keron has been really proactive in advertising the opportunity to practise and become part of a new team in the local area and online, and has delivered engaging and encouraging coaching sessions throughout the summer.”

WINNER – Seniru Fernando
Young Coach of the Year Award
“Seniru joined the club this season during winter nets and has been a huge success on the field throughout the summer both playing and coaching. He has worked particularly with the U13’s at Friday night junior coaching and also with head coach Wayne delivering cricket camps….. His energy, enthusiasm and willingness to get involved definitely rubs off on our younger players who follow his example and he has become a highly valued member of the coaching team.”

WINNER – Sam Wiles
Game Changer Award
“Sam is into his third season of helping and coaching our Junior players on Friday nights and has particularly focussed on supporting our younger U11 and U13 players during this time. This season he has also stepped in to carry out some external schools coaching, receiving very positive feedback which is great for both the club and developing interest in cricket in Swindon.”

HIGHLY COMMENDED – Blaine Norridge
Unsung Hero
“One of the less celebrated but hugely important roles at all clubs is that of the Honorary Treasurer. While the playing, coaching and ground-keeping roles always feature highly at the end of season awards the financial side is an absolutely vital position that enables the club to function within its means. Blaine has held this position at Swindon Cricket Club for a number of years and this nomination is to recognise the fantastic work that Blaine does to keep all the finance ship-shape and in tip-top order. The work Blaine does goes under the radar for many at the cricket club but his dedication, attention to detail and financial knowledge is second to none. Blaine is massively appreciated by the committee, and we sincerely hope he continues in his essential role for years to come.”

HIGHLY COMMENDED – Our army of volunteers who have worked on the grounds
Volunteer Grounds Management Team of the Year Award
“Swindon CC is lucky to have such a great group of volunteer helpers behind the scenes. Our groundsman Kevin Thompson has done an amazing job for over 30 years and the support he gets from the volunteer team is invaluable in freeing up his time and making the ground look as good as it does. Hosting the Wiltshire showcase game v Glamorgan in July was a huge honour for the club, and the preparation for that game to get everything ready was a testament to the dedication and value of the volunteers that helped make the day such a success. Virtually every time I turn up at the ground I see one or more of the volunteers turning their hand to something which is such a massive help for both Kevin and the club in general.”

SPECIAL COMMENDATION – Swindon CC Under 9s Section
Our Under 9s section was, for the second year in a row, recognised as leading the way in the County. This reflects our commitment to the age group in terms of both training and matches played through the 2024 season. The club would like to thank Daniel for running the section and Fraser (who picked up the award on behalf of the club) and Neil for their coaching help. In addition, thanks to all of the parents that helped coach, set up festivals, manage teams at festivals and for running kids around.

Congratulations once again to everyone involved.