The cricket season might finally be over but Daryl Mitchell is looking to clock up even more hundreds next week!
It’s only six days now until Worcestershire Players’ Player Of The Year will swap his bat for the saddle to raise money for the PCA Benevolent Fund and the Tom Maynard Trust on Big Bike Ride 3.
Daryl, the current chairman of the PCA, hit seven County Championship centuries in 2017 – and is aiming to add additional tons – this time in terms of miles – via pedal power.
The 33-year-old has been putting the finishing touches to his training programme since the cricket season came to an end.
He will set out from Edgbaston next Friday morning (October 13) with the other riders on the 360 mile journey which will include the third of the five stages ending at New Road on October 15.
The first two Big Bike Rides in 2013 and 2015 raised more than £320,000 and this year’s event takes on added significance as 2017 is the Professional Cricketers’ Association’s 50th anniversary.
A Legacy Year Appeal has been launched to raise an extra £250,000 for the PCA Benevolent Fund.
Anyone wanting to back Daryl – who will be accompanied by his father in law Mel – and donate to the causes he is riding on behalf of should go to the page https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/darylmitchell1
Current PCA CEO and ex Worcestershire CEO David Leatherdale is also participating.
Big Bike Ride 3 will be launched with a dinner at Warwickshire’s Edgbaston headquarters on October 12 before the riders set off the following day.
Big Bike Ride 3, which is generously sponsored by Full-Time Cover insurance and Sanderson Contracts, will travel via Sheffield, the Peak District, the Cheshire Plain, Shropshire, Worcestershire, Herefordshire, Gloucestershire and South Wales to the SSE SWALEC Stadium in Cardiff.
It is there where Tom Maynard, who died in tragic circumstances in 2012, played his formative cricket and where the Trust set up in his name is based.
Cricketers past and present taking part are: Tim Bresnan (Yorkshire and England), Dan Cherry (Glamorgan), Alan Fordham (Northamptonshire), David Fulton (Kent), Gavin Hamilton (Yorkshire, Durham, England and Scotland), James Harris (Glamorgan and Middlesex), Geraint Jones (Kent, Gloucestershire and England), Steve James (Glamorgan and England – days 4 and 5 only).
David Leatherdale (Worcestershire), Matthew Maynard (Glamorgan and England), Daryl Mitchell (Worcestershire), Alex Morris (Yorkshire and Hampshire), Charlie Mulraine (Warwickshire), Tony Murphy (Lancashire and Surrey), Gareth Rees (Glamorgan), Ian Saxelby (Gloucestershire), Marcus Trescothick (Somerset and England).
Michael Vaughan (Yorkshire and England – day 2 only), Mark Wallace (Glamorgan), Matthew Wheeler (Northamptonshire), David Wigley (Yorkshire, Worcestershire and Northamptonshire), Matthew Wood (Yorkshire and Glamorgan).
The full Big Ride 3 route is:
October 13: Edgbaston to Sheffield Collegiate CC – Depart Edgbaston 7am, Atherstone CC 9.40am, Quarndon CC 12.20pm, South Wingfield CC 2.20pm, Sheffield Collegiate CC 4.20pm
October 14: Sheffield Collegiate to Crewe Vagrants CC – Depart Sheffield Collegiate CC 7.20am, Buxton CC 10.20am, Poachers Inn, Bollington 12pm, Middlewich CC.2.20pm, Crewe Vagrants CC 3.30pm
October 15: Crewe to Worcestershire CCC – Depart Crewe Vagrants CC 7.25am, Calverhall CC 9am, Broseley CC 12pm, Cleobury Mortimer CC 2.20pm, Worcestershire CCC 4.30pm
October 16: Worcester to Monmouth School – Depart Worcestershire CCC 8.55am, Ledbury CC 11am, Ruardean Hill CC 12.40pm, Lydney CC 2.30pm, Monmouth School 3.20pm
October 17: Monmouth to SSE SWALEC Stadium – Depart Monmouth School 6.55am, Abergavenny CC 9.10am, Newbridge CC 12.20pm, St Fagans CC 2.20pm, Glamorgan CCC 4pm
