Henley cricketers to feature in mountain top fundraiser

A group of cricketers are aiming to play England's highest ever match to raise money for a rare muscle condition.

Eleven players from Henley Cricket Club will play the match at the summit of Helvellyn, in the Lake District.

They will be playing against a team made-up of players from clubs local to the peak on Monday 20 May.

The match at over 3,000ft (914m) is raising money for the Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) Research Foundation.

John Neville, who organised the challenge alongside fellow Henley players, has the condition - which is a type of hereditary muscular dystrophy.

He said: "I've never really spoken about it that much - recently though I decided I should try and raise awareness and do something about it."

Mr Neville said the idea came from fellow organiser Nick Johnsons's dad Chris: "He said "well actually there is a bit of space up Helvellyn - we could go up and play a game of cricket", and we said "you're crazy" - and yet here we are."

Organisers believe that the match will be the highest ever played in England, with cricket almanack Wisden unable to find any competition.

As well as the 22 players taking part, umpires scorers and spectators will also be making the journey up England's third highest peak.

Mr Johnson said: "The idea is that like you can walk past the village green in the summer and see a game of cricket going on with 22 players in whites - recreating that same situation, but a thousand metres up a mountain."

Various parts of essential equipment, including stumps, a scoreboard and an artificial wicket that weighs 19 stone (120kg), will all need to be carried to the top of the mountain.

When asked on BBC Radio Berkshire what he expected of Helvellyn, Mr Johnson said: "It wont be Lords!"

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