England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB)

We want to offer the best disability cricket in the country and meet Hampshire's Disability Development Officer as he strives to reach new heights.

By Evie Ashton, ECB Reporters Network

When he received the news earlier this year that he was Hampshire Cricket's new Disability Cricket Development Officer, Michael Powell felt his life had come full circle.

He had spent the last twenty years representing Hampshire in Super 9s cricket, captaining many of them and coaching for the Lords Taverners Super 1s and SEND Schools programme.

Now determined to give back to the community, Powell hopes to see Hampshire's disabled cricket program recognized as the best in the country.

In college and university, my drive and ambition, whether in cricket or not, is to make the world a better place for disabled people, Powell said.

That has become my motivation now that I have stepped into the role. How can we ultimately make this more accessible?

[Hampshire Cricket] wants to be at the top of the tree of cricket for the disabled. We want to lead the way and be the driving force in popularizing the sport within the disability community.

As Hampshire Cricket Board's first physically disabled employee, who has paraplegic cerebral palsy and uses an electric wheelchair, Powell also has a wealth of lived experience that certainly makes achieving this goal all the more likely.

I'll never forget the first question they asked me when I walked into the room: What makes you the best person for this role? I sat there in my electric chair, looked them dead in the eye and said, “You're looking at them.” “I'm in it,” he said seriously.

I have lived with a disability all my life; from the day I was born. I know the obstacles and barriers that play a role.

[Growing up] I was extremely frustrated because my friends were playing sports on the playground and even though I tried to find ways to get involved, I couldn't be like them.

Although I had a desire to exercise, finding something that was accessible was difficult.

Finally, at the age of 12, Powell discovered just that and much more since, in handicapped softball cricket known as Super 9s in what was then the Rose Bowl, and now known as The Utilita Bowl.

It was a great social outlet for me. It was also a huge bonus from a physical point of view. I got exercise from bowling balls and swinging bats. It was a lot of fun, he says.

From a social perspective and from establishing those relationships, I have understood what it means for others as well.

Having this opportunity as Hampshire's Disability Development Officer has been transformative for me. It is the first full-time position I have held in almost ten years.

Access to work for disabled people, like access to sport, is incredibly difficult. So I am extremely grateful for this opportunity to transform a space that I am so passionate about.

Having dedicated more than half his life to this cause to date, Powell has no time for empty promises and is therefore seeking to increase opportunities to participate in and raise awareness of the program.

There are currently eight disabled cricket hubs in Hampshire with over 120 disabled participants.

There are four county setups providing competitive cricket for disabled people, including D40 Hardball, D40 Development in partnership with Dorset, and a Super 9s first and development team with a total of 50 participants.

My three main drivers are inclusivity, accessibility and fun, he said. All our participants get something out of it, whether it's social, cricket or a personal milestone. What we offer goes beyond cricket as a sport.

I am proud that this was fully inclusive as we have a huge abundance of participants with disabilities such as amputees, learning disabilities, physical disabilities and invisible disabilities.

However, Powell emphasizes that he is not alone in his view. He works with a dedicated team of supportive coaches and many other counties who are making a difference in their respective communities.

“I have seen firsthand the tremendous impact our program has, not just on one individual, but on an entire family,” he said.

The player can be quite shy at home. If you jump forward six months, they have a great relationship with their family. They have outside friends. They have volunteer opportunities.

There are so many counties on board with disabled cricket. It has the potential to skyrocket with the right support, right support and the right lighting.

For more information about Hampshire Disability Cricket, contact [email protected] or visit https://utilitabowl.com/cricket-board/disability/.