Berkshire Cricket Foundation

The month of May has seen further support of local refugees across Berkshire with integration into local Chance to Shine Street sessions well publicised and now further great news as Coul-Badeen Popal Zai and Abdul-Basir Tajik made their debuts for Thatcham Town CC.

Both Abdul and Popal have been two of a number of refugees staying in Thatcham's Regency Hotel who have come down along to sessions hosted by Thatcham CC and run by the BCF on Wednesday mornings and their cricketing prowess was noticed by Thatcham's cricket manager Simon Lewis after the first session. The group of 20+ refugees from Sudan, Syria, Eritrea and Afghanistan had a range of abilities but Abdul & Popal, who had both played tape ball cricket in Afghanistan, stood out and Lewis was able to invite them along to club nets the following week.

They were welcomed with open arms and Lewis reported “Abdul and Popol came to nets tonight - such a joy. They are playing Sunday in the Berkshire Blast!”

And so they both made their Thatcham debuts this weekend and although their first games of hard ball cricket won't go down in he record books for their high scores both batted and bowled with Popal picking up a wicket and both getting off the mark with the bat.

We wish them all the best for the rest of the season and thank Thatcham Town CC and West Berkshire Action for Refugees for their support in making these sessions happen and of course the brilliant coaching team from the BCF for running and coordinating them.