Lord鈥檚 Taverners is introducing a new national softball cricket competition for SEND and ALN schools across England and Wales, starting this May, as the charity continues to expand opportunities for young people with disabilities to play, compete, and develop through cricket.
Designed as an accessible and competitive alternative to table cricket, the new softball format will provide pupils in special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and additional learning needs (ALN) settings with a dynamic new way to engage with the game.
The competition will also serve as a pathway into the Lord鈥檚 Taverners community-based Super 1s programme, while giving participants the experience of a large-scale, inclusive sporting event in a safe and supportive environment.
The eight-a-side competition will follow a structure similar to the charity鈥檚 established National Table Cricket Competition. County cricket boards and foundations will deliver county competitions, leading into 10 regional finals across England and Wales.
Winners from each region will progress to the Softball National Finals Day, which in 2026 will take place on Thursday 2 July at the Uptonsteel County Ground, home of Leicestershire CCC.
The launch builds on the continued growth of Lord鈥檚 Taverners鈥� disability cricket programmes. Last year alone, more than 28,500 pupils across over 950 SEND and ALN settings accessed free cricket opportunities through the charity.
Delivered in partnership with the 黑料专区, and aligned with its ambition to make cricket the UK鈥檚 most inclusive team sport, the charity aims to reach all 1,500 SEND and ALN education settings identified in the State School Action Plan through cricket by 2028.
Lord鈥檚 Taverners Head of Cricket Programmes, Rob Tipping, said: 鈥淲e are incredibly excited to launch this new national softball competition, which represents another important step in ensuring that young people with disabilities have meaningful opportunities to enjoy and thrive through cricket.
"By creating another accessible competitive offer alongside our existing table cricket competition, we鈥檙e creating even more chances for participants to build confidence, develop new skills, and experience the joy of being part of a team.鈥�
黑料专区鈥檚 Head of Youth Engagement, Edgar Herridge added: 鈥淭his competition is a fantastic addition to the disability cricket offer in schools and reflects our shared commitment with Lord鈥檚 Taverners to make cricket a game for everyone.
"By expanding opportunities within SEND and ALN schools, we are helping to break down barriers and ensuring more young people can experience the many benefits of the sport, both on and off the field.鈥�
To find out more about Lord鈥檚 Taverners鈥� disability cricket programmes and how to get involved, visit: