Cricket Stars Line Up for Mammoth Charity Bike Ride – 20/08/13

Cricket Stars Line Up for Mammoth Charity Bike Ride – 20/08/13 Cyclists aim to raise £ 200,000 for two charities this October A host of cricketers, administrators and fans of cricket are to embark on a gruelling charity bike ride to raise money for two of the game’s leading charities. The Big Bike Ride will cover the 441 miles between Durham and London during a five-day trek that encompass a number of England’s leading cricket grounds. Riders, including past and present stars of the County and international game, aim to raise £ 200,000 for the Tom Maynard Trust (TMT) and the Professional Cricketers’ Assocation’s Professional Cricketers’ Trust. The Tom Maynard Trust was set up in 2012 following the tragic loss of Surrey star, Tom. It aims to help the development of aspiring, disadvantaged cricketers and other sportspeople requiring support in their careers. The Professional Cricketers’ Trust was founded by the PCA to help current and former players and their dependants in times of hardship and upheaval, or to readjust to the world beyond the professional game. Among the current and former cricketers taking part, are England hero, Darren Gough, England one-day star, Jos Buttler, Somerset’s Marcus Trescothick, Essex’s Graham Napier, Surrey’s Gareth Batty, Middlesex’s James Harris, and Durham’s Phil Mustard. They will be joined by a host of fellow County professionals and cricket administrators, including the CEOs and Chairmen of both Surrey CCC and Somerset CCC, Richard Gould, Richard Thompson, Guy Lavender and Andy Nash; as well as Tom’s father, former Glamorgan batsman, Matt Maynard and his sister Ceri Maynard. Matt commented, ” It will be a gruelling ride for everyone concerned and an emotional one for many, including Ceri and I. But we are all determined to complete it and raise money for two fantastic charities that are worthy of our support. ” We will be putting in the hard yards on the road, but cricket fans up and down the country can do their bit by pledging whatever they can afford – it will make a real difference.” PCA Assistant Chief Executive, Jason Ratcliffe, who sits as a trustee of the Professional Cricketers’ Trust and the TMT, said, ” Few vocations carry so much uncertainty as that of a professional cricketer, and the Professional Cricketers’ Trust ultimately acts as a safety net for all players, past and present. ” We pride ourselves on putting health and wellbeing at the heart of what we do for the players, who have entertained generations of supporters up and down the country, and we’d be very grateful for any support the cricket fans could show now.” Riders will depart from the Emirates Stadium in Durham on October 17 2013 before making their way to Headingley in Leeds. From there, they will head to Old Trafford in Manchester on a gruelling cross-Pennine route. They will travel via Trent Bridge, Nottingham on the third day, before passing the County Ground in Derby and Grace Road, Leicester, on to Wantage Road in Northampton. The final leg departs for Lord’s on October 23 2013, where the ride will culminate in the PCA’s Ashes Farewell Lunch for Alastair Cook’s England team, who will be bidding to retain the Investec Ashes in Australia. Phillip Browne, Marketing Director of sponsors Brewin Dolphin, said, ” We’re delighted to be involved in the Big Bike Ride, following the success of the Tom Maynard Trust ride from Cardiff to London last year. ” We’re hoping this one will be even bigger and better and it’s great to be supporting these two worthy causes.” Among the additional County cricketers taking part in the ride are Dean Cosker and Mark Wallace of Glamorgan, Richard Coughtrie and Hamish Marshall of Gloucestershire, and Lee Daggett and James Middlebrook of Northamptonshire. They will be joined by Jaik Mickleburgh and Tim Phillips of Essex, Matt Boyce of Leicestershire, Matt Coles of Kent and Darren Maddy of Warwickshire. In order to support them on their ride, you can log on to their BT Donate pages here. The event is being generously supported by the headlines sponsors Brewin Dolphin, as well as Buxton Water, Trek Bycycle Coventry and Cotswold Cycles. Additional support is also being offered by Jaguar, who have donated three XF Sportsbrakes with roof racks, which will prove provide transport for the mechanics and support staff on the route each day. For more information on the Tom Maynard Trust, visit www.tommaynardtrust.com For more information on the PCA Professional Cricketers’ Trust, visit www.thepca.co.uk/benevolent_fund.html or view the following video featuring Mark Nicholas http://vimeo.com/64823556#t=7 About our Sponsors: Brewin Dolphin is one of the UK’s largest independently-owned private client investment managers. They have 38 offices throughout the United Kingdom and Channel Islands, offering a wide range of financial services and have £ 28 billion under management. Their success is founded on their long track record of helping private clients, trusts, charities and pension funds to create and preserve wealth. Trek Bicycle Coventry is the largest sole Trek stockist in the Midlands. They are your home for everything Trek – not just bikes, clothing, parts, accessories, and spares; but also information and inspiration too! Their brand new, purpose-built store is located within Leekes Coventry, with 3,500 square feet of wall-to-wall Trek and other cycle-related products. Their ethos is providing the right advice to help you get the most from your cycling. Cotswold Cycles exists to support cyclists in the North Cotswolds with all their cycling related needs. Located in the Cotswold Business Village, Moreton-in-Marsh, they sell a comprehensive range of bikes, accessories and clothing. A full bike servicing, repair and custom-build service is available in their workshop, which is staffed by CYTECH-qualified mechanics. Buxton Water is the Official Water Supplier to the England cricket teams. The company, which first became an ECB partner in 2008, will continue as the exclusive supplier of bottled water to the England men’s and women’s cricket team for all home international matches until the end of the 2013 season. Jaguar is the official vehicle supplier of the England cricket team. All of England’s centrally contracted players drive one of their XJ, XK or XF models. Jaguar also has a strategic partnership with the ECB’s National Cricket Performance Centre. This association forms part of Jaguar’s long-term commitment to British sport under the umbrella of the ‘Jaguar Academy of Sport’, which aims to recognise, celebrate and inspire the very best of British sporting talent and success. Here is the full list of past and present cricketers taking part in the Big Bike Ride: Gareth Batty Surrey CCC Matt Boyce Leicestershire CCC Jos Buttler Somerset CCC Dan Cherry Glamorgan CCC Matt Coles Kent CCC Dean Cosker Glamorgan CCC Richard Coughtrie Gloucestershire CCC Darren Cousins Essex CCC, Northants CCC & Kent CCC Lee Daggett Northants CCC Andrew Flintoff Lancashire CCC Darren Gough Yorkshire CCC & Essex CCC Richard Grant Glamorgan CCC James Harris Middlesex CCC David Harrison Glamorgan CCC Darren Maddy Warwickshire CCC Hamish Marshall Gloucestershire CCC Tim Mason Essex CCC Matt Maynard Glamorgan CCC Jaik Mickleburgh Essex CCC James Middlebrook Northants CCC Gary Montgomery Warwickshire CCC Alex Morris Hampshire CCC & Yorkshire CCC Alan Mullally Hampshire CCC & Leicestershire CCC Charlie Mulraine Warwickshire CCC Tony Murphy Lancashire CCC & Surrey CCC Phil Mustard Durham CCC Graham Napier Essex CCC Tim Phillips Essex CCC Ian Thomas Glamorgan CCC Marcus Trescothick Somerset CCC Mark Wallace Glamorgan CCC Matthew Wood Glamorgan CCC & Yorkshire CCC For more information, please call David Leatherdale on 07990558681 or email dleatherdale@thepca.co.uk {{ak_sharing}}