'Visually impaired cricket team feels like home'

A budding visually impaired (VI) cricket player has said being introduced to the sport "feels like home", having already represented her county just weeks after first picking up a bat.

Willow Carr, from Worplesdon near Guildford, first began playing VI Cricket in May as part of a new programme run by Pirbright Cricket Club.

The 23-year-old said she was proud to have played twice for Surrey just weeks afterwards, and is encouraging others considering playing to go for it.

Speaking to BBC Radio Surrey at a training session, she said: "It feels like a little family, and I think that's so nice."

She added: "I was so welcomed in and everyone was so nice.

"You don't need any preparedness to come along and try. There's absolutely no harm in giving it a go."

VI Cricket is played with a size three football with ball bearings in it, which is easier to play with for visually impaired players.

Bowlers shout to let the batters and wicket keepers know they are about to throw the ball, and more emphasis is put on talking and communication.

Willow, who has optic atrophy, which causes her optic nerve to deteriorate, said she has played for Surrey against Hertfordshire and Berkshire, including taking two wickets.

She said she was "pretty proud of myself".

Chris Smith, who runs the Pirbright sessions, said: "Currently the VI Cricket scene is only at county level, so you have to travel the length and breadth of the country if you want to play.

"We want everyone to have access to cricket and this is another one of the sections at the club that we aim to have.

"If we can grow this, maybe we can have three or four teams so people don't have to travel so far, and people can play at their local grassroots level."

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