A Bournemouth cricketer has hailed the current Cricket World Cup as a great opportunity to draw younger people into the sport.
Ashley Humber is a committee member at Bournemouth Cricket Club, and understands the importance of inspiring a new generation to get involved.
Humber started playing cricket at the club when he was 12 and hopes the 2023 tournament, which is being played in India, will get youngsters interested.
He said: “It is a really good opportunity to inspire younger people.
“It is always thriving at the Colts section (age 6-15) and they get to train all year round.”
Tomorrow defending champions England take on South Africa in a vital pool match. Both sides are coming into the game on the back of shock defeats: England their first loss to Afghanistan and South Africa to tournament outsiders the Netherlands.
England have also lost to New Zealand and cannot afford too many more defeats if they are the finish in the top four of the pool and qualify for the semi-finals.
Humber, Bournemouth’s fourth team captain and midweek first team manager, believes that the events from the World Cup could positively affect engagement of the sport of cricket in the local area.
Players such as Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler became national sporting heroes after England lifted the trophy in 2019 at Lord’s in a nail-biting super over against New Zealand.
He said: “As the World Cup progresses and certain players create those big moments, that is when people stand up and take note of these top players.”
These big moments Humber thinks will resonate most with budding cricket youngsters.
“The younger generation will watch the World Cup and go ‘wow, I want to be Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes or whoever it may be’,” he said.
Bournemouth Cricket Club is the largest in Dorset and founder members of the Southern Premier Cricket League.
Humber hopes to welcome more cricketers to the club’s Chapel Gate headquarters as a result of the tournament.
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