Legendary Lambeth cricket coach Tony Moody is looking for local sponsorship for a Twenty20 match between the Lambeth Cricket Academy and the Metropolitan Police.
The community cricket match will take place on September 15 at the Kia Oval cricket ground at 11am, followed by a performance of martial arts and music in a combination called ‘tricking’ at Lambeth Hall in the Oval. Tony Moody and former England cricketer Pat Pocock will also both sing at the event.
It is the rebirth of a tradition which started in the 1970s, when the Brixton West Indian community would play annually against a local police team . Due to lack of support from the cricket authorities and the public, this stopped in 1995. The current Mayor of Lambeth, councillor Clive Bennett, is now supporting and hosting the event.
Tony Moody said: “I have been given another date to stage a match, but this time around I don’t want us to fail again. I strongly believe that this sporting link could become a feature event in Lambeth calender for years to come.”
The match aims to build support for the use of community cricket as a crime prevention program. Tony Moody has designed a style of cricket called Catchy Shubby specifically designed to build excitement in to the game and encourage young people.
It is also hoped that, if this match is a success, the Lambeth Cricket Academy might be able to win momentum from the council for building a community cricket ground. Tony Moody said: “Lambeth is the only borough in London with out a community cricket ground. Over the past 25 years I’ve been working to secure a community cricket ground here in Lambeth, the decision to have a ground in Lambeth has know become a political one.”
