Callum Flynn and Chris Edwards will emulate some of their heroes on Monday when they take part in the first disability cricket match on the main ground at Lord’s.
Being able to play on the Home of Cricket’s hallowed turf for an ECB Chair Disability XI against the MCC realises a lifelong dream for Flynn, who had to have two titanium replacements to his right knee fitted after being diagnosed with bone cancer in his leg on his 14th birthday in March 2009.
Two years later, though, he opened the batting for England’s Physical Disability side and is now their captain and star player, having helped them to glory in the World Cup in 2015.
Flynn, 29, also toured India last winter, playing at the 132,000-capacity Narendra Modi Stadium, the biggest in the world, but stepping out at Lord’s with his proud father watching on will top the lot.
“It means everything in terms of cricket,” Flynn said. “Except everything away from my family, it will probably be like the proudest and most memorable day in my life.
“It will be nice to have my dad there and share that moment with him because he’s always been my junior coach, he got me into cricket and coached me when I was younger.
“I’ve been in the England PD squad for 13 years and now I’m captain, I’ve seen every growth step we’ve done. What happened with the cancer happened, sadly, but it’s given me so many opportunities.
“To be able to say I’ve played at Lord’s, no matter how many World Cups we might win… even just playing one game at Lord’s will top everything off.”
Flynn went through a draining course of chemotherapy for cancer in 2009 but England’s Ashes stars spurred him on
In the months after being diagnosed with cancer, Flynn went through a draining course of chemotherapy but the thought of playing cricket, allied to watching England’s Ashes stars, spurred him on.
“It was 2009 when I was having my chemo, it was an Ashes year,” Flynn added.
“I always used to get the cricket magazines and take the 2005 Ashes boxset to the hospital and watch that daily – I probably knew the commentary ball-by-ball because of the highlights.
“At one stage, I didn’t know whether I’d still be here to tell the story. Literally the only motivation was getting back on the cricket field, that was the key factor in the story.”
For Edwards, England’s Learning Disability captain, the occasion at Lord’s will be just as sweet as he plays in front of his parents and a couple of players he has coached.
Chris Edwards, England Learning Disability team captain, is also looking forward to Monday’s historic match
“It means everything because it’s one of the most prestigious and historic grounds in world cricket,” he said.
“It’s such a massive honour to be able to have the opportunity, not only to represent the people you know but all through disability cricket.”
Edwards, 31, first represented England in 2009 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and from humble beginnings has been a key cog in them being unbeaten in any series since 2010, losing just two games.
“I made my debut at the MCG in 2009, that was quite daunting,” he added. “We were quite a young side going into that tournament against a very experienced Australia side. They thumped us.
“That was a big eye-opener to how international cricket can be very unkind but it turned out to be the start of something special.”