UK CRICKET TOURS

AUSTRALIAN CRICKET TOURS

Welcome to SCCC UK Cricket Tours, specialising in trips to the North East of England. Tour groups can enjoy a hosted trip specifically tailored to suit their budget and requirements. Relax, arriving in the picturesque surroundings of Durham City for a min two week stay in the grounds of the stunning Durham Castle or St Chad’s College in the shadow Durham’s magnificent Cathedral. Groups can look forward to fantastic sightseeing trips, hard fought cricket games, both 45 over daytime and evening 20/20 games played on turf grass pitches. Coach led practice sessions complemented with video analysis for optimum player development, guest coaches / speakers, beach fitness sessions and plenty of time to see the local sights on your own in between. Players will be supplied with tour apparel and will have a welcome party upon their arrival and a team meal on their last night in England before their departure.

Durham City

Durham is a compact city yet offers a wide range of facilities. Many different shops, café’s and restaurants co-exist happily with the Victorian Market. Much of Durham’s shopping area is closed to traffic, making for a much more relaxed atmosphere and safer environment. The breath taking panoramic view of the Cathedral and Castle has been described as ‘one of the finest architectural experiences of Europe’ and together they are now designated a World Heritage Site.

Within minutes, it is possible to escape the bustle of this thriving market town by taking one of the many paths that lead down to the riverbanks. Watch the river for rowers from one of the university teams or take the ‘Prince Bishop’ river cruiser for a gentle trip along the river with stunning views.

Accommodation

Upon arrival in Newcastle, the tour group will be collected by minibus and taken to their accommodation in the heart of Durham city. The seventeen seat minibus will stay with the group throughout their time in England and will be used for travel for all trips and fixtures. Players will room together in pairs and breakfast is included as part of their visit. From their rooms they will have the opportunity to take the short walk into the city centre during their free time.

Your Hosts

During your time in England your trip will be hosted by either Steve Chapman or Clint Heron. Steve is the owner of the business and responsible for the day to day running of your trip. Prior to moving to Australia in recent years, Steve lived in the North East of England where he played professional cricket for many seasons, both in the recreational and the First Class game. Steve is a current ECB Level III Coach and is much travelled from his playing and coaching experiences working with many current First Class and International cricketers as well as having vast experience of working with children. Steve will be with the group during the trip and on call constantly to help deal with any potential issues.

Clint Heron
Currently Clint 29 is in his 5th year as a Western Warriors (WA) state contracted player. Prior to playing cricket professionally Clint owned his own cricket coaching business in Perth and has considerable experience in working with children and aspiring professional cricketers. He captains his club side Scarborough in Perth and is renowned as a prolific run scorer in First Grade cricket. In the winter of 2005 Clint attended the Cricket Australia Centre of Excellence (formerly Academy) where he captained the side, with his ability to communicate and organise his peers often attributed to his successes in that role. For 5 years Clint has worked as a professional cricketer in North East England and it is with great delight that he is added to the SC Cricket Coaching team as a host of our UK Tours.
 

Practice Sessions and Fixtures

Throughout your visit to the UK practice sessions and fixtures will be scheduled at regular intervals. Practice sessions will be led by Steve and will also be attended by overseas First Class or International professional cricketers who are currently playing in the area from cricket playing nations around the world. Players will have the opportunity to practice, as well as play on turf grass pitches during their time in the UK to allow them every opportunity to experience cricket conditions on the other side of the world. Players will have the opportunity to be filmed at practice and their techniques analysed in a group tutorial at a later date.

Fixtures will be 45 over a side games or the much faster and more exciting 20 / 20 matches. Opposition teams will vary in standard as required for the touring side to ensure competitive fixtures. Schools, clubs, league representative or even County youth teams will provide tough opposition for the boys as they endeavor to develop their skills in the heat of battle. North East grounds in England are renowned for their beautiful settings, lightning fast outfields and good batting wickets, perfect for high scoring games going late into the barmy summer evening.

Sightseeing and Daytrips

Outside of the cricket program lies a busy sightseeing schedule, ensuring every minute of your trip to England will be well spent. Tour groups will embark on a pilgrimage to the home of cricket – Lords Cricket Ground. There will be endless photo opportunities after their two hour tour of the ground facilities. As part of a two day trip to the capital, visits to Buckingham Palace, Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, Trafalgar Square and the awesome London Eye are awaiting your arrival. Throw in a boat ride on the Thames River and a trip around Tower Bridge to see the Crown Jewels and the holiday is off to a flier.. Phew!

Day long trips to Edinburgh and its famous castle, seaside trips to Blackpool with its iconic tower, and the fishing town of Whitby are included. Beamish Museum is one of England’s finest and most respected attractions, showing how life in England existed in generations gone by – a must see to all visitors to the North East. Durham itself boasts some of the most beautiful landmarks in the country if not the world. The Cathedral and Castle are visited by thousands of tourists every year and will be where the tour will call home throughout the stay.

Activities will be arranged throughout the trip to keep the boys entertained including guest coaches / speakers, theme park trips, cinema and ten pin bowling, First Class Cricket fixtures or 20 / 20 games, beach fitness sessions and when the boys are in their rooms they’ll have access to Playstation and Wii entertainment consoles, as well as DVD’s.

Trips and Tours

Lords Cricket Ground - Lord's has long been seen as the 'Home of Cricket' and the game's spiritual 'headquarters'. For cricket lovers throughout the world who visit England a trip to the hallowed turf is a must. Its owner, Marylebone Cricket Club, remains the guardian of both the Laws and the Spirit of Cricket, and MCC sides (which play around 500 games a year) perform a key role in promoting cricket - in Britain and elsewhere.

London Eye - Since opening in March 2000 The London Eye has become an iconic landmark and a symbol of modern Britain. The London Eye is the UK’s most popular paid for visitor attraction, visited by over 3.5 million people a year. At 135 meters above London, the London Eye is the world's tallest observation wheel, with 40km panoramic views on a clear day.

Big Ben and The Houses of Parliament - Beacon of "the mother of all Parliaments", Big Ben is possibly London's most famous landmark. Big Ben is not the clock tower but the thirteenth bell which strikes the hour. It is counterweighted with old pennies!

Where Parliament now stands has been a centre of authority for over a thousand years! Once the home of the royal family, and still officially a royal palace, the buildings that now make up the modern Houses of Parliament have developed through design, accident and attack.

Tower Bridge - The Crown Jewels are what most visitors to the Tower of London come to see. Completed in 1894, Tower Bridge was instantly hailed as a London icon and one of the great engineering marvels of its age. Come inside to enjoy stunning views from its high-level Walkways, situated 42 meters above the River Thames.

Buckingham Palace - has served as the official London residence of Britain's sovereigns since 1837. It evolved from a town house that was owned from the beginning of the eighteenth century by the Dukes of Buckingham. Today it is The Queen's official residence, with 775 rooms.

Trafalgar Square - set in central London, is one of Britain's great tourist attractions. A visit to the capital would be incomplete without going to marvel at Nelsons Column and the four giant lions at its base, or to admire the lovely splashing fountains and to feed the pigeons, who have made their home here. Built to commemorate Admiral Nelson, the square was named after the Spanish Cape Trafalgar where his last battle was won.

Edinburgh – Be welcomed to the buzz of Scotland's capital city as it sits, in perfect contrast to the peaceful tranquility of the surrounding Lothians region. Edinburgh has one of the most beautiful cityscapes in the world, making it the ideal tourist destination. With Scotland's most famous castle dominating the city skyline, there is plenty to see and do with the perfect balance between all things traditional and contemporary. Discover world-class museums and galleries or take a tour on an open-top bus.

Whitby - is dominated by the cliff-top ruins of a beautiful 13th- Century Abbey. This traditional maritime town, with its old cobbled streets, picturesque houses and sandy blue flag beach, a great place for a holiday or short break, Whitby is set among fine stretches of coast with spectacular cliffs, beaches and bays. One of Whitby's most famous sons is Captain James Cook, the 18th-century explorer who discovered Australia. You can't walk far along the winding streets, however, before you notice what Whitby is most famous for –its visit from Count Dracula!! Even vampires need holidays!

Blackpool - Set on the North West coast of England on the shores of the Irish sea, Blackpool for many years has been a very popular tourist destination with its iconic tower which has stood proud over Blackpool for 112 years, piers full of entertainment and amusement arcades, a ‘Golden Mile’ promenade and colorful trams, a common method of transport to the enormous Pleasure Beach. There’s something for everyone at Pleasure Beach, Blackpool. There are over 125 rides and attractions, there’s everything including thrilling white-knuckle rides – the tallest, fastest rollercoaster in Europe, The Pepsi Max Big One, Ice Blast, Bling, the Big Dipper, Grand National and the Avalanche… Wow!!

Beamish Museum – Britain’s favorite open air museum. Beamish is unique, set in over 300 acres of beautiful countryside, it’s no ordinary museum but a living, working experience of life as it was in the Great North in the early 1800s and 1900s. Beamish is not a traditional museum. Most of the houses, shops and other buildings have been "deconstructed" from elsewhere in the region and rebuilt there.

Wet'n'Wild - Splash down at Wet 'n' Wild and you are guaranteed a fun time in the many slides and water flumes. This giant water park complex is highly recommended for people of all ages. For those seeking thrills try the "Kamikaze" where you can experience a 20 meter vertical drop, or the "Tsunami" which propels you along at breakneck speed. Or if you are after more sedate pleasures, there are many spas and quieter areas where you can drift along on calmer waters. With a restaurant on site, Wet'n'Wild makes a great day out.

Keswick - The stunningly located town of Keswick, nestled on the shores of Derwentwater in the Lake District National Park, has a wide array of shops, restaurants and galleries. Few visitors come to Keswick without making the short walk to the lakeshore and the boat landings from where rowing and small motor boats can be hired; the regular launch service around the lake also starts from here. Another five minutes walk brings you to Friar's Crag with its tremendous views across the lake and Borrowdale. The climbing wall is for the more adventurous while the leisure pool, tennis and bowls add to the list of activities for all.

South Shields - is situated at the mouth of the river Tyne in the North East of England and boasts of many attractions including the Arbeia Roman Fort, Souter Lighthouse the first in the world to be powered by electricity, the world’s first self righting lifeboat, Catherine Cookson exhibition, Fairground, Sandy Beaches, Marsden Rock. It is the perfect setting for some beach fitness!

Metro Centre – is Europe's largest shopping and leisure centre and it has everything you could possibly need for the perfect day out with almost 330 shops including major department stores. The Centre is introducing new leisure and retail facilities comprising: a state of the art Odeon cinema, a new family entertainment centre with bowling, pool, dodgems, activity machines, electronic games and enhanced dining facilities. Nowhere in Europe have you got more retailers, restaurants and leisure attractions for your complete enjoyment.
 

Example Tour Itinerary

Click here to download the UK Cricket Tour Brochure.