Students from Wirral Grammar School had a day to remember as they travelled to the home of cricket to take part in the Lord’s Taverners National Table Cricket Finals.

The Bebington school’s side were one of 12 to compete in the Nursery Pavilion, at Lord’s Cricket Ground, for the right to call themselves national champions, ending up third on an action-packed day at the home of English cricket.  

Wirral Grammar School are no strangers to Lord’s, having won the finals last year, and the school’s table cricket captain Aidan Smith revelled reaching the final stages of the tournament for the second successive year.

The 17-year-old said: “There’re no better schools than the 12 here so it was good to test ourselves. Especially some of the younger lads in year seven or eight or nine.  

“They come here today and just get better and better the more they play and when they get to my age, they’re gonna be amazing.    

“People outside don’t realise how important table cricket is in terms of giving opportunities to people with disabilities who feel comfortable. It’s a proper team environment, everybody’s from different backgrounds but we’re very similar. It’s brilliant.”

Wirral Grammar School teacher Jonathan Taylor added: “It’s been so amazing for them. Since we started table cricket at the school, we’ve noticed confidence grow so much for the boys.

“Sport teaches you so much more than winning and losing. It’s about friendships and they’ve come on leaps and bounds since starting.  

“Once was good enough but to go through the process again was a dream come true for the lads, the whole school, all the staff members and everyone involved.”

Table cricket is an adapted version of the traditional game, played on a table tennis table, and is much more accessible to young people living with severe physical or learning disabilities.

Watching on at Lord’s were an array of stars, including TV personality and comedian Matt Lucas as well as England cricketer Jack Leach.

Leach said: “It’s a pleasure to come down and see everyone enjoying the game. It’s a great game, I had a little go and it’s quite difficult. I enjoyed seeing how competitive everyone is. It’s the national finals, it’s great for kids to be able to come here to the home of cricket to play.  

“It’s everyone’s dream as a kid to play at Lord’s and for them to be able to do that is very special. We want the game to be accessible to everyone. 

"The great work that Lord’s Taverners and the ECB have done to fund this and make it accessible is really special. Everyone deserves that chance and it is great to see them making the most of it.”