“I’ve always wanted to start something up, fi rst and foremost to try to help
people in Lewisham” DANIEL BELL-DRUMMOND ON HIS PLATFORM INITIATIVE
KENT
‘Daniel Bell-Drummond- prospective England
opener’, has been on the Kent’s
batsman’s CV for some time.
Now the word ‘philanthropist’
can be added. He has set up a
highly laudable project called
Platform, which aims to increase
participation in cricket for
youngsters in his home borough
of Lewisham.
Bell-Drummond, who was born
in Lewisham Hospital and grew up
near Lewisham Park, already has
more than a dozen primary schools
involved.
“I’ve always wanted to start
something up for many reasons, but,
fi rst and foremost, I just wanted to
try and help people – I wanted to
give back,” he said.
It will hopefully boost cricketers
from African-Caribbean
backgrounds, with the numbers
declining markedly since the 1970s
and ’80s. Go to Twitter handle
@PlatformLDN1 for more details.
Bell-Drummond enjoyed a decent
campaign in the Royal London Cup,
helping Kent reach the later stages.
The county were also delighted to
see Joe Denly back in form after his
testing start to the season in the
Championship. Heino Kuhn, Sean
Dickson and Alex Blake were also in
the runs. Darren Stevens – who else? - topped the Kent bowling averages.
The second-placed side’s bid for
HAMPSHIRE
Sam Northeast’s
broken fi nger is proving
troublesome for Hampshire.
The batsman fractured the digit
days after scoring his maiden
century for his new county at TheOval at the end of April and has been
frustrated by a long healing process.
The location of the break, around
the knuckle, meant a pin had to be
inserted to aid recovery. A timescale
has not been set for Northeast’s
return to full fi tness.
Director of cricket Giles White
said: “We’ve had our fair share of
fi nger injuries, which has been
frustrating but it’s given others
opportunities that have been taken.
Sam’s is the worst of the lot as it’s
around the knuckle”.
Despite the absence of Northeast,
Hampshire cruised into the
knockout rounds of the Royal
London Cup, topping the South
Group with fi ve wins and just
two defeats from their eight
round-robin matches.
Meanwhile, the county’s women
have won the Royal London One-Day
Championship at the fi rst time of
asking, following promotion to the
top tier last term.
Victory over Middlesex in their
fi nal fi xture secured the title for
Charlotte Edwards’ team.
Edwards, who was appointed
director of women’s cricket at the
Ageas Bowl earlier in the summer
and still plays, said: “It’s been a
remarkable effort from the whole
squad. It’s hard to believe we
were in Division Three in 2015.
I’m so proud of what the team and
coaching staff have achieved.”
Sam MorsheadGLAMORGAN
Australia international Usman
Khawaja will miss the latter stages
of the Vitality Blast if the Welsh county can
replicate their 2017 short-format form.
Khawaja is now available for Glamorgan’s
opening 13 Blast group fi xtures but will miss the
closing game against Surrey after being selected
in the Australia A squad playing in India from
August 17. The tour concludes on September
11 – four days before Twenty20 fi nals day at
Edgbaston – although new Australia coach
Justin Langer will want his leading players to be
focusing on their own domestic season ahead of
his fi rst assignments on home soil next winter.
However, 2017 Blast semi-fi nalists Glamorgan
did benefi t from some Cricket Australia
fl exibility after Shaun Marsh was recalled forone-day international duty.
Marsh, 35, re-signed for the club on a two-
year deal last winter only for it to coincide with
another chance at the top level during the 2017-
18 Ashes – his all-round form leading to selection
for the fi ve-match Royal London ODI series
against England.
With Marsh otherwise engaged, Glamorgan
were able to negotiate Khawaja’s stint in Cardi
being brought forward to cover three County
Championship fi xtures starting with the trip to
Warwickshire in early June.
“Usman is a very talented cricketer, who has
a fantastic Test record and I’m sure he will do a
great job coming in for Shaun and be a positive
infl uence on our young squad,” director of
cricket Hugh Morris said of Khawaja, the former
Lancashire and Derbyshire left-hander.Sam Northeast is
still on the sidelines
Usman
Khawajathecricketer.com | DIARY | COUNTY