Iain Skippers England To World Championships

When Iain Nairn was just 16 months old, the lower part of his right leg was amputated due to a birth defect. As with most disabilities, you'd never know it judging by the way Iain jogs up the stairs to our meeting room at his offices in Birtley.

As the meeting gets underway, one things stands out; it’s hanging on the wall behind his desk. You can’t miss the framed red shirt with brilliant white printing on it. The word at the top says ‘Nairn’; below it is a number 2; below the number is another word….’England’.

Iain Nairn is captain of the England Physical Disability Cricket team and on the 5th of August he will lead his team out for their first game in the T20 PD World Championship. Their first match is against Pakistan, quickly followed the next day by a match against Bangladesh. England then take on Zimbabwe on the 7th and, following a day off, Afghanistan on the 9th. Their final group game is against India on the 11th before, all being well, taking part in the semi and the final on August 13th at Worcestershire County Cricket Club’s New Road ground. England wrap-up everything on the 15th with a match against the Rest of the World.

Iain rolls-up his right trouser leg to reveal a carbon fibre blade that has now become a regular sight during races at athletics events.

“The 2012 Paralympic Games in London was probably a turning point for all disabled sportsmen and women,’ said Iain. “Suddenly there were tens of thousands of people cheering-on athletes of all shapes and sizes with the full range of physical and mental disabilities on show. There are now various categories of disability, such is the popularity of sport within the disabled community.”

“The Women’s World Cup is also another example of how minority sports are becoming mainstream. Obviously England getting to the semis finals and having their matches shown on terrestrial, prime time TV has helped, but a few years ago it simply wouldn’t have happened. And neither would the England Physical Disability Cricket team. Consequently, it’s wonderful to be involved in something which is starting to flourish.”

Iain debuted in 2014, in only the second bi-lateral series between Physically Disabled teams, playing Pakistan in Dubai. It was all very different in 2015 when Iain’s England team played their first international tournament. The tournament was organised by the Red Cross in Bangladesh. The opening game was played in front of fanatical crowds and the matches were shown live on TV. It’s estimated that up to 20 million people watched the games. The opening ceremony was performed by the Bangladesh Prime Minister. It showed what disabled cricket could be like.

The thought of the cricketing authorities back home in England putting something together needed the rest of the world to develop their games and get the support of their international cricket boards. By 2018, England’s PD team played their first tournament in this country as a precursor to this year’s event. “This is the largest disability cricket tournament ever. To have it happen at home shows the great investment that has been made by the ECB and it’s great to know that this investment is now being matched across the globe.”

Fast forward to August 5th and Iain will lead his team out into a ‘proper’ tournament which has been arranged to coincide with the ICC World Cup which of course features the senior England team and the cream of the World’s one-day cricketers. Iain is no longer the opening batsman; he’s moved down to either number 4 or 5 where he can get the scoreboard moving at pace.

Success at this level has taken a while to come Iain’s way, but don’t for one moment assume that this isn’t a seriously competitive tournament in August. Most of the players in the England team have, like Iain, played a decent level of club cricket. Iain was a leading player at school and, when he was selected for Durham County Cricket Club at junior level, he played in age groups until he was 19. It was only then that thoughts of being a professional cricketer came to an end. The local club cricket scene came to his rescue and Iain continued to play for Chester le Street, his home town club, as well as Newcastle Cricket Club, with both teams playing in the North East Premier League. “Club cricket kept me playing the sport I love, albeit with the dream of representing my Country having gone” Iain says. “Little did I know what was to come and the ability to live a dream that many young cricketers have is something that I’m incredibly proud of.”

The PD T20 tournament is played with exactly the same rules as those in the first class game. It’s fair to say that many sceptical people are silenced when they see the standard of the play and the level of commitment from the players. A classic example of commitment was shown when England were playing Pakistan in Dubai in 2016. Liam Thomas was chasing a ball and dived to stop a boundary. He was successful, but his prosthetic leg fell off in the process. Go on You Tube, you’ll find the video.

“It’s hugely exciting and a real honour to once again lead the England PD Cricket team, but there’s something very special about it being in this country,” adds Iain. “It shows how far we’ve come in making disability accepted in sport at the highest level and will hopefully help push things forward, not only here in the UK but also across the world.”