About the club

Somerset Disabled Cricket Club compete in the ECB National Disability County Cricket Championships in the Super 9s South West division along with four other counties. The club plays each other team home and away, with the team finishing top of the league progressing to the regional finals day.

Somerset Disabled Cricket Club play their home games at Taunton Deane Cricket Club and matches are contested with an incrediball (not a hard cricket ball, a softer ball with a hard foam centre). Matches are played on a Sunday afternoon.

Somerset Disabled Cricket Club was formed in 1997 and since then has gone from strength to strength. Thanks to the support of the Somerset Cricket Board and through the sheer determination of a number of hardworking individuals the club has become one of the strongest in the Country. Achieving success on a national scale, whilst also managing to provide opportunities for individuals of all ages and abilities and all types of physical and learning impairments.

This is a club run by disabled people for disabled people.

To play for the County team, all players must meet a recognised level of disability. To play for the development side, player registration is not essential.

Learning disability

To play for the County Team, a player must be able to provide two pieces of information to an ECB classification Officer. For more information, please download the ECB’s Learning Disability Guidance.

  • IQ Test (score less than 75)
  • Statement of Education Needs
  • Special Accommodation (evidence of player living in special accommodation)
  • Special Employment ( evidence from an employer)
  • Statutory Financial Support (letter from the DWP or DHS showing player is in receipt of DLA or equivalents)
  • Age of onset pre 18 (intellectual disability must be evident during the developmental period, which is from conception to 18 years of age)
Physical Disability

To play for the County team, a player must have Certificate of Diagnosis form completed from health professional. For more information, please download the ECB’s Physical Disability Guidance.

Hearing impairment

In order to be eligible to take part in ECB disability cricket domestic competitions, a player must be able to evidence a hearing loss of 26Db or above in their better ear. The evidence should take the form of a recognised audiogram with its supportive documentation.  For more information, please download the Hearing Impairment Guide

ECB Disability Player Pathway – Downlaod Here: 

ECB player Pathway Guide – Download here:

Date Team Team County Team Venue
Super 9 South West Team 
14th May 2023 Somerset v Gloucestershire Friendly SCCC
21st May 2023 Somerset v Wales Super 9  T Deane
4th June 2023 Dorset v Somerset Super 9  Away
18th June 2023 Somerset v Gloucestershire Super 9  T Deane
2nd July 2023 Wales v Somerset Super 9  Away
30th July 2023 Gloucestershire v Somerset Super 9  Away
6th August Somerset v Dorset Super 9  Wembopn CC
20th Aug Dorset v Somerset Hardball challenge  Dorchester CC
27th Aug Gloucestershire v Somerset Hardball challenge  Away
3rd September Somerset v Gloucestershire Hardball challenge  T Deane TBC
10th September 2023 Dans Day All T Deane TBC
Super 9 Development Team 
Date Home Team Away Team Format Venue
28th May 2023 Ilton v Somerset Development  Ilton CC
25th June 2023 Gloucestershire v Somerset Development  Away
9th July Somerset v Gloucestershire Development  Ilton CC
16th July Midsomer Norton v Somerset Development  Away
13th August Somerset v Development  Ilton CC
27th Aug Somerset v Dorset Development  TBC/ Ilton or Yeovil
3rd September Claverham CC v Somerset Development  Away
Somerset Dragons 
Date Home Team Away Team Format Venue Start time
21st May 2023 Somerset v Gloucestershire Dragons  Ilton CC 1pm
2nd July 2023 Somerset v Gloucestershire Dragons  Ilton CC 11am
16th July 2023 Gloucestershire v Somerset Dragons  Away 1pm
6th August Gloucestershire v Somerset Dragons  Away 1pm
27th August Dragon v Parents Dragons  Wembdon 1pm

In addition to the First Team, we also run a County Development Team. The Development Team is aimed at young people and adults looking to make their first step into competitive cricket.  The Development team, know as the Dragons, also train and have friendly fixtures against other counties. For me details, please read the section on training.

Somerset Disabled Cricket Club have a Club Committee; names and roles can be seen below. For information or to contact any of the committee, please email Steve Gass.

  • Tracy Hallows – Chairperson
  • Jason Mayled – Manager
  • Paul Dean – Treasurer
  • Steve Gass – Secretary
  • Paul Lewis – Safeguarding Officer
  • Nick Dean – Club Captain
  • Paul Lewis – Development Team Manager
  • Kirstie Mayled – Social Media Officer
  • Linda Curtis – Hon. Lifetime member.

Medequip have supported the Club with a donation of £2000 to support with access to more regular training opportunities across the county.

The Club is always on the look out for support. This season, the club have secured a fantastic sponsorship deal with Somerset Care; Realise. This is a fantastic £500 per season, whcih expired in 2020.

In addition, the club have also secured donations from CareTech and the Freemasons of Nailsea.

Somerset Disabled Cricket Club competes in the National Disabled Cricket League (Incrediball). The incrediball is a safety compound ball, used to help reduce the risk of injury, it looks and behaves as a regular cricket ball. The National League is organised into regional leagues, with the top team progressing to semi-finals and finals. In 2006, less then a decade after being formed, the Somerset team won their first national league title and winning has been a habit since!

2022 has been another successful season for Somerset Disabled Cricket Club. Whilst silverware alluded the league side in the final game of the season, the club grew more so than any year before. 2022 saw the introduction of the new development squad. The aim of this team is to provide additional cricket opportunities in a more competitive environment, exposing players of all abilities to how Somerset DCC play cricket. This side also brings a chance for players to develop their skills, practice in a match setting and to improve with the view of breaking into the league side.

The development side played a number of fixtures in its first year, with players both new and existing, grasping the opportunity to play more disabled cricket. There were standout performances in each game, all played in the Somerset spirit, instilling further the supportive nature in which we believe cricket should be played.

The league side had another strong season. The squad showed true resilience to cope with several injuries and illnesses through the season. However, the group stage ended with Somerset top of the group, having bounced back from a loss away from home against Gloucestershire to then go unbeaten through the rest of the group, including a big win against Wales and a highlight performance against Gloucestershire towards the end of July.

This run set up a second regional final for the league side in 2 years, this time against Gloucestershire hosted at Hawksbury Cricket Club. Somerset were set a mammoth total of 222 to win by a very strong batting side, and yet the side responded typically defiant. Supported by our usual strong following of family and friends, Somerset reached 207 – not enough to claim victory, but plenty in both statistics and manner of performance to be incredibly proud of.

2022 has been a brilliant spring board year for the club. Its highlighted things we are doing well; providing more disability cricket opportunities to as many people as possible, playing cricket with togetherness and inclusivity whilst being competitive at every level. Its also shown us areas we wish to improve on – namely better contingency plans for cancelled games (important for English summers!). The year as a whole has set the club up to really build further in 2023, both on and off the pitch.

Unfortunately, 2022 also saw us lose a dear friend. Stuart Allbut had umpired most, if not all of Somerset Disabled CC’s home games for over 15 years. He was a fantastic character and was with us through all of the highs and lows the club has been through over the years. Not only there with us, but making those experiences even more memorable. It was a genuine pleasure to be out in the middle with him, a true legend. Everyone at the club will miss him dearly. Thank you Stuart.

Find out more

Club Life Feature

The club has enjoyed plenty of media coverage over previous years with the most recent being provided by BBC Somerset.

During the 2012 season Sky Sports chose Somerset Disabled Cricket Club as one of their Club Life Roadshow clubs. Being filmed for the day was a real thrill for the entire club and gave them the opportunity to show just what they can achieve.

Future training sessions

During the Winter  we offer small group sesisons for members of Somerset Disabled CC to keep fresh and connected.  We offer sessions in three locations (see below).  During the Spring (February – April) training will take place at the Cooper Associates County Ground on a Saturday morning. To register your interest in attending these training sessions, please contact us by completing the online form below.

Day
Venue
Times
Thursday
Bath Cricket Club
4.30pm – 5.30pm
Monday
Cooper Associates County Ground
5.15pm – 6pm
Thursday
Westfield Academy
7.00pm – 8.00pm
Saturday’s (18, 25 Feb, 4, 11, 18 & 25 Mar, 1 & 15 Apr)
Cooper Associates County Ground
9.30am – 1.15pm

Contact us