Suffolk girl who has used sport to overcome challenges links up with Yorkshire Cricket Club

As part of National Cricket Week (June 24 to 28), Yorkshire Tea have teamed up with grassroots cricket charity Time to Shine.

They hosted a day for a group of children who have used cricket to overcome challenges in their lives.

The day involved an all-star training session with England cricketer Jonny Bairstow and an access all areas tour around Yorkshire County Cricket Club’s, Headingley Stadium and taking part was 11-year-old Lilly Barbier, from Suffolk.

Before Lilly was introduced to cricket in her local area, she didn’t play any sport, she was shy, lacked confidence and didn’t see herself as one of the “sporty kids” in her class. Now, Lilly takes any opportunity to pick up a bat or bowl a ball.

A recent study by Yorkshire Tea found that almost one in six (15%) of girls haven’t played sport outside of school in the past year because “they don’t think they’re good enough”.

Lily’s first “Chance to Shine” session opened the door for her love of the sport and her coach Chloe Leveridge, said: “Lilly was quite nervous during that first session but then it just seemed to click. People started to tell her she was good at it and before we knew it, she was hooked.”

As her cricketing prowess grew, so did her confidence.

Lilly recalls: “I love cricket now; I couldn’t imagine not playing it. It makes me feel great because you know you’ve helped the team and the team want to help you.”

Just 18 months after her first cricket training session, Lilly’s hard work and dedication has paid off.

She now represents the Suffolk county under 11 team as their first-choice wicket keeper and, in her own words, is “probably better than Jonny Bairstow already.”

She firmly believes that there’s no such things as a girls or boys sport and when asked what she would say to someone who thinks cricket isn’t for girls, she replied: “I just wouldn’t listen to them, it’s a sport for everyone whether you’re a girl or a boy. The England women’s team are proving that right now.”

England and Sussex cricket player, Danni Wyatt, is a huge inspiration for Lilly and one day, she aspires to be a cricket coach.