The Bears featured almost their entire, available, first-team to take on players from sides across Warwickshire County Cricket League’s Premier Division and emerged victorious on a rain-affected but otherwise highly enjoyable day for all in attendance.
The Roadshow, which has taken place annually since 2021, was introduced to take the club out into the county and to offer a combination of club cricketers the opportunity to represent what is a cricketing hotbed, while sharing the field with their elite counterparts.
“It’s a really important fixture for us,” Andy Wyles, Head of Clubs and Leagues at Warwickshire Cricket Foundation, said. “We’ve done this for five or six years now and it is the third year we’ve been in Stratford. The Warwickshire League is really important because it is our biggest league - there are 230 teams. It’s the cricketing community of Warwickshire.
“We are in the top corner of the county, so it’s just good to get this game out and about.”
All Premier Division sides were asked to nominate a player to be involved in the match, which saw them come up against the likes of Alex Davies, George Garton and Ethan Bamber among others, but the day involved so much more than the T20 match which took place at 5pm.
Up to 200 children were in attendance prior to the game and, during that period, softball matches took place between teams of youngsters on the outfield before they witnessed the main event from their seats.
“We showcased a lot of what we do,” Andy explained. “For the first couple of hours we had under-9 boys and under-11 girls' softball cricket. One of our access hubs was there.
“The day as a whole went really well - it was well hosted by Stratford, the ground is picturesque. We had catering facilities, a really good cricket wicket and a really good infrastructure around the club, so they host really well.”
The Bears first-team were hands-on, too. Upon arrival, they joined in with the mini-matches and were happy to dedicate their time pre-match to signing autograph books and merchandise.
“The players spent the first hour or so just engaging with the kids,” Andy said. “We had a queue of people wanting to go over to them because they’re such a good laugh and good fun - the engagement with the kids was brilliant and they signed autographs.
“I can testify first-hand how brilliant it was, because my grandson was there. He had his bat signed, his shirt, his ‘hairy hat band’ and he took one home for his little brother.
“All those kids had a great time, getting to meet the Bears players - it was absolutely outstanding. It was really well done.”
Always well attended at Stratford, the numbers in the ground were just beginning to rise as the working day came to an end, only for rainclouds to gather and briefly put the brakes on proceedings.
Not to be deterred, the game - which was shortened because of the delay - resumed shortly after the players were forced off and, although there was an understandable gap in ability between the two sides, it was played in a great spirit.
“The beauty of the process is that Walmley all came down to support Harry Wyatt,” Andy added. “All the Blossomfield lads came down to support Marc Cyrus. Lads came from Bedford to support Ross Parnell.
“The team itself was a quirk of fate. We have a few lads in The Hundred, but Warwickshire always send the whole squad down so that they can do coaching with the kids and sign autographs.
The under-18s were playing at Portland Road, which left the senior squad - for them to play was brilliant.
“They went back out after the rain delay, which they must be commended for - it might have been easy to say ‘I’ve done my bit’ and head home, but they stayed and I thought that was outstanding.”
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