Men’s LV= County Cricket Champions, Durham were presented with The Lord’s Taverners / ECB Trophy and Women’s Champions, Kent presented with The Lady Taverners / ECB Trophy by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh at Buckingham Palace on Thursday 15 October.
Will Smith, Captain of Durham County Cricket Club, said “It is a great honour to come back and retain The Lord’s Taverners ECB Trophy. We have had a great afternoon here at Buckingham Palace and on behalf of the team I’d like to thank The Lord’s Taverners for organising such a fantastic day. I’m very proud to accept this trophy and look forward to hopefully returning next year.”
A film of the Durham's day out at the Palace can be viewed via the Durham CCC website.
Charlotte Edwards MBE, Captain of Kent and Women’s World Cup winners England, said ”At the beginning of the year I could never have dreamt that I would be at Buckingham Palace having won the County Championship with Kent, along with The World Cup, The World Twenty20 and The Ashes with England. To say it’s been amazing year is an understatement and being here at Buckingham Palace thanks to The Lord’s Taverners was the perfect end to the season.”
The Lord’s Taverners, the youth sports and disability charity, will donate nearly £2.5 million this year to help give young people, particularly those with special needs a sporting chance. The charity hosted a lunch for players and officials at its London offices, where Chris Tarrant, President of The Lord’s Taverners, welcomed both teams and representatives of the ECB and County Championship sponsors LV= ahead of the presentation at Buckingham Palace.
Matthew Patten, Chief Executive of The Lord’s Taverners, said “Durham and Kent have made the most of their sporting chances in winning the County Championship, and giving young people a sporting chance through cricket is what The Lord’s Taverners is all about. Fingers crossed we’ll see Will and Charlotte with their teams back here in 2010.”
HRH The Duke of Edinburgh has been Patron and Twelfth Man of The Lord’s Taverners since 1950.
Will Smith and Charlotte Edwards MBE receive their trophies from HRH The Duke of Edinburgh
HRH The Duke of Edinburgh presents The Lord's Taverners ECB Trophy to Durham at Buckingham Palace
HRH The Duke of Edinburgh presents The Lady Taverners ECB Trophy to Women's County Cricket Champions Kent at Buckingham Palace
