Thanks to a wonderful opportunity from Surrey’s long-term partner Kia, a group of young cricketers got the golden chance, for the second year running, to make the iconic Kia Oval their home ground for a day.
Back in September, 30 winners of Kia’s Young Cricketer Day competition, aged between 11 to 16 years old, were offered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play a competitive game on one of the main pitches of the 180-year-old cricket ground in the heart of south London.
The day began with a practice session in the morning, where the enthusiastic group gained tips and insights from skilled Surrey Cricket Foundation coaches in order to hone their cricketing skills. The young cricketers participated in net practice sessions, fielding drills, and cricket-related interactive games.
Ahead of heading out to the middle for cricket matches in the afternoon, the group were also taken on a tour of the Kia Oval, where they learnt about the long and fabled history of the ground.
Elly shared how the day inspired her daughter to continue playing cricket. “Izzy and I wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone who made Saturday such a success!” she said, before adding: “She had an absolutely amazing time and, best of all, it has reaffirmed her love of cricket and her commitment to continue playing. It was a genuinely once-in-a-lifetime experience and one that we will never forget!”
Karen echoed the sentiments of several other participants’ parents, saying: “Sam had a wonderful day and loved every minute of it! It was an incredible privilege for him to have such first-rate coaching and get to play at the Kia Oval. This will be an amazing memory for him!”
