HARDYS WINES HELPS CELEBRATE ANNUAL BRAMBLE BANK CRICKET MATCH
Thursday 19th July 2018
On Sunday morning Hardys, the Official Wine of England Cricket, teamed up with England fast bowler, Stuart Broad, and host of The News Quiz, Miles Jupp, to celebrate one of the quirkiest events in UK sport and to demonstrate the ways and rules people often play cricket.
The annual Bramble Bank cricket match is played in the middle of the Solent on a sandbank between the Royal Southern Yacht Club and their counterparts across the Solent in Cowes, the Island Sailing Club. Not only is it an odd venue, but it is an occasion with some quite unique rules, perfectly highlighting The Rules According to Hardys campaign which is all about being part of everyday cricket and celebrating all its quirks.
The sandbank is only revealed once a year for about an hour at the lowest tide, becoming a wicket until the advancing sea stops play and has been taking place since the 1950s. This year with some help from a certain England international seam bowler standing at 6’ 5”, the Royal Southern Yacht Club secured the victory in a tightly contested game.
Hardys ambassador, Stuart Broad said, “well that was different. Plenty of areas for us bowlers to aim at! This has certainly been the most unique game of cricket I have ever been a part of. It’s fantastic to see cricket bringing local communities together to play the sport we all love in such a quirky location.”
The match was kept under control by the watchful eye of comedian, actor and cricket enthusiast, Miles Jupp, who umpired what can only be described as a spectacle. Whilst the batsmen battled against the definition of a sticky wicket, fielders were forced to cool down with a quick dip to retrieve boundaries.
After the final ball Miles Jupp said: “If you ever wanted to sum up the spirit of English cricket, Bramble Bank would be a great place to start – you just need a bat and ball and some willing teammates. It’s been a lot of fun getting involved in this year’s match and seeing the game I’ve heard so much about.”
After an hour’s play the match was drawn to a close just after 7am by the rising tides, once again hiding Britain’s best kept secret wicket for another year. Back on dry land Hardys rewarded players and supporters with a well-deserved drink from the travelling wine bar, the Hardys Pavilion.
David White, Marketing Director of Hardys, said: “The annual Bramble Bank cricket match exemplifies what the Hardys campaign of The Rules According to Hardys stands for – that cricket is a game that can be played anytime, anywhere by families, friends and communities – and it is a pleasure to shine a light on this quirky British tradition. It was great to have Stuart Broad and Miles Jupp down to support the match and we’d like to thank Royal Southern Yacht Club for letting us join in the fun.”
Captain of Royal Southern Yacht Club, Mark Thompson, said: “We are delighted that Hardys chose to support our annual Bramble Bank match and to have Stuart Broad on our team was a once in a lifetime experience.”