International cricketers are heading to Wrekin College next week to help celebrate the tenth anniversary of Shropshire County Cricket Club’s hugely popular Resource Bank Challenge event.
More than 700 guests from the Shropshire business community will enjoy hospitality in a luxury marquee on the boundary edge at Wrekin College next Thursday, July 7 while having the chance to watch top quality cricket between Shropshire and an Invitation XI of talented overseas players.
Spectators are also invited to enjoy the cricket free of charge, with the action starting at 11am, as the two sides play two T20 matches with the total scores combined to determine the winner.
Prolific former Indian Test batsman Wasim Jaffer and ex-West Indies Test bowler Corey Collymore will be the star names in an Invitation XI also featuring the talents of Barbabos T20 stars Jamar Griffiths and Kenroy Williams, Indian Premier League regulars Rajat Bhatia and Amitoze Singh, plus Pakistan A international Faiz Ahmed.
Promising South African Ryan Cline, who plays for Western Province under-19s, and South Australian under-19 batsman Connor Dudley will also face play.
Toby Shaw, the chairman of Shropshire CCC who organises the annual event, stressed he had again been bowled over by the level of interest.
He said: “I don’t think there’s any other event like this in the county and it’s a celebration that so many people wish to come along to. The event sold out eight weeks in advance and I could have sold more tables.
“The interest has again been phenomenal and we have more than 700 people coming. I had to most reluctantly turn 50 people away such was the high demand, but it’s going to be a really exciting day and I’m looking forward to it.
“This is our tenth year hosting this event, so we’re very excited about that, while it’s ResourceBank’s last year as sponsor, so it’s an important celebration for them and we are grateful for their support in helping make the event such a success.
“It’s a fantastic setting at Wrekin College and the cricket will be top class given the quality of players taking part. It’s not just about the hospitality side, as it’s free for spectators to come and watch what promises to be an exciting day’s play for cricket fans.”
The event acts as the major fund-raiser of the year for Shropshire CCC, with the club also making a donation from the proceeds to nominated charities, which this year will be NSPCC, the Renal Unit at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and Beanstalk, a national charity that recruits and supports volunteers to work with primary school children struggling with their reading.
Mr Shaw added he was delighted with the support he has received in securing an impressive collection of auction prizes, including the use of a new F-type Jaguar, and shoots for parties of eight and ten people at the West Midlands Shooting Ground and Sundorne Estate respectively.
Guests will also have the chance to bid for the use of a five-bedroom holiday home in Abersoch on the Welsh coast, or six tickets to an Aviva Premiership rugby game at Leicester, which includes lunch and full hospitality.
A two-night break in the Heritage Suite at Shrewsbury’s Prince Rupert Hotel in also available while Mr Shaw expects plenty of interest in four tickets to Worcestershire captain Daryl Mitchell’s end of season black tie dinner in the Long Room at Lord’s, which also includes a round of golf with four Worcester players and a coaching session for four with Mitchell at the club’s New Road ground.
Pictured: Wrekin College will be the venue for Shropshire County Cricket Club’s tenth ResourceBank Challenge event.