MCC and BBC looking for deserving winners

Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and the BBC are now accepting nominations for the 2015 CMJ Spirit of Cricket Awards.

There are four awards which are given to those who have best exhibited the Spirit of Cricket, either on a specific occasion or throughout the season, be that through outstanding sportsmanship, fair play or respect for opponents and umpires.

The Boys’ and Girls’ Awards are given to the class, team or individual boy or girl who has best displayed the Spirit of Cricket either on a specific occasion or throughout the season.

The Schools and Elite Awards are based on the same criteria – the latter being given to a professional cricketer playing in England in the 2015 season.

The initiative was created by the two organisations in memory of former MCC President and BBC Test Match Special commentator Christopher Martin-Jenkins, who passed away in January 2013.

The winners are selected by a panel of judges from MCC and the BBC, with nominations closing at noon on Monday September 7.

The successful school will be presented with £2,000 from MCC and the BBC to help support its cricket programme for 2015.

The winning boys and girls will be rewarded with tickets to the Royal London One Day Cup Final at Lord’s on Saturday September 19 and will be interviewed as part of the BBC TMS coverage of the match.

Last year’s winner of the Elite Award was Sussex and England batsman Luke Wright, who was recognised for his conduct on day three of the LV County Championship match between Sussex and Lancashire at Hove.

Wright took a catch to apparently dismiss a well-set Steven Croft, only to immediately signal a six after feeling his heel touch the boundary rope.

Amy Freeman of Banbury Cricket Club Under-15s won the Girls’ Award for her commitment to the club and its girls’ cricket programme.

At the start of last season she was recovering from a dislocated knee, but continued to play for her club as they were struggling to field a team. During one match she dislocated her other knee, but continued to play on, fielding at slip, bowling from a one-step run-up and apologising to her opposition as she did so.

The winner of the Boys’ Award was Yapham Cricket Club Under-13s for their conduct in their York & District Junior Cricket Association Cup quarter-final against Sheriff Hutton Bridge, when two Yapham players called back their opponents after a dubious catch and run out decision.

The winner of the Schools’ Award is St Peter’s Primary School in South Croydon, the only school in Croydon that takes part in cricket at every level of competition for boys, girls and mixed sides.

The judges were impressed with the way the school encouraged all its children to play with high standards of sportsmanship and within the true spirit of the game.

David Morgan, MCC President, said: “MCC works hard to promote the Spirit of Cricket message, and Christopher Martin-Jenkins was a huge part of that during his time as MCC President. CMJ was a popular man and it’s fitting that MCC and the BBC continue to pay tribute to him in this way. I have been struck by the sportsmanship of previous winners of this competition and I’m looking forward to seeing this year’s entries.”

Test Match Special commentator Jonathan Agnew added: “Ten years after the iconic Ashes series in 2005 – which was played in the most sporting manner by both sides – we are looking forward to receiving nominations from throughout the cricketing world to remind us that the Spirit of Cricket is alive and well.”

To find out more about the awards or to submit an entry, visit lords.org/cmjawards.