Local cricketers stump up donations
Ducks at Kew Cricket Club have been put to good use, helping out their feathered friends at nearby WWT London Wetland Centre in Barnes.
Scoring a duck – being bowled out without scoring any runs – would normally be a cause for frustration at the local cricket club. But a positive approach has put a spin on the problem, with players who are out for a duck making a donation to London Wetland Centre.
As part of Kew Cricket Club’s ECB Club Development Plan they considered ways of interacting with the local community and local charities while having some fun, and this solution was the perfect way of combining both.
The club created a duck pond in the club house, using a photo of one of the lakes at London Wetland Centre as a backdrop. Duck templates were made up, showing the relevant player’s name, and stuck on the duck pond, generating an average donation of £2.00 each time. The idea has been a great talking point throughout the entire league, as players saw the pond while drinking tea in the club house between innings. Organisations which have used the ground for corporate functions have been so enthralled by the idea that they have given donations too!
Only the senior team were involved in the duck pond appeal this season, although the Club has a very popular Colts section too. Kew Cricket Club fields four Saturday League teams who play in the Morrant Thames Valley League, one Sunday League team in the Readers Thameside League and a Sunday Friendly team.
The season started on Saturday 7th May and ended on Saturday 3rd September and from all the League matches, and a number of friendlies, they ended with 85 Ducks on the board.
Memorable ducks included: Alex Bishop’s Royal Duck v Fleet, Kew 1st XI’s five ducks v Basingstoke, Robert Tindall’s five ducks, including both home and away against Harefield, and a very rare duck for Bruce Friderich v Henley.
David Sale, Kew Cricket Club Publicity Manager, said, “As a club we are all proud of this involvement with the London Wetland Centre and hope to continue this throughout the years.”
Catherine Starling, marketing manager at WWT London Wetland Centre, said, “We are delighted that the club has come up with such an innovative way to support us this season. We love their positive approach of turning their ducks into a way of helping ours. Although it has a serious side too, as Kew’s support will help us with our work protecting wildlife and water birds at the Centre. We do wish them every success in future matches though.”
