Lashings All Stars to play MPs in cricket match for victims of Grenfell Tower fire
Published: 10:06, 24 June 2017
Top cricketers will be taking on a team of MPs to raise money for the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire.
Maidstone-based Lashings All-Stars are set to play Lord and Commons Cricket Club at the Latymer Upper School Sports Ground, just over a mile away from the scene of the tragedy.
At least 79 people are thought to have died when fire ripped through the 24-storey tower block in North Kensington last week.
The Twenty20 game, held in conjunction with the ECB, will start at 6pm on Tuesday and all money will go towards the Evening Standard Dispossessed Fund.
Live commentary will be provided by Henry Blofeld and the match is supported and endorsed by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).
Andrew Strauss, ECB Director, England Cricket said: “It’s great that cricket can play a part in bringing help and support to the victims of the Grenfell fire.
"We would urge as many people as possible to show their support for this fixture and our thanks all to the parliamentarians and ex-cricketers who are taking part. It’s a very important initiative and one which has ECB’s full support and endorsement.”
The Lashings clubs is based in Upper Stone Street and has a team of all-time greats including Pakistan bowler Saqlain Mushtaq, former West Indies captain Courtney Walsh and batsman Gordon Greenidge, who is the coach.
He said:"We were as horrified as everyone else by this story. We all felt we had to do something and that's why we were delighted to agree to play."
The Lords and Commons CC have been playing for over 150 years and among the players to have turned out for them are cabinet ministers past and present, including Ed Balls, Boris Johnson, and Mayor of London Sadiq Khan.
Captain of the MP’s team, Nigel Adams said “I’m delighted that so many of my Parliamentary colleagues have agreed to take part in the match. I hope there’s a good crowd on Tuesday night to support this great cause which has touched so many people”
Tickets start at £10. To book click here
More by this author
Claire McWethy