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Somerset VICC raising funds for Kathryn and Sharnie
Somerset Visual Impaired Cricket Club (SVICC) is proud to announce that two of their players, both women’s international VI cricketers, have been selected to represent the UK at the first-ever Women’s VI T20 Cricket World Cup, set to take place in India later this year.
This landmark tournament marks a historic moment for women’s visually impaired cricket. While the first men’s blind cricket World Cup took place back in 1998, this is the first global T20 competition for women, featuring teams from India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Australia, the USA, and the UK.
Meet Kathryn and Sharnie
Somerset players Kathryn Jelfs-White and Sharnie Mabey have been part of SVICC for many years, with the former being a key figure in Somerset’s Inception. Both have played an important role in the Club’s recent national success, including last year’s David Townley T20 Cup victory.
Kathryn is not only Vice-Captain of Somerset, but also the Women’s Team Captain. Sharnie is an exciting young talent who has already been involved in England development camps. This opportunity to compete on the world stage would be truly life-changing for both players, but to make it happen, they each need to raise just over £5,000 towards their costs.
Women’s international VI cricket has been steadily developing since 2014, when a UK women’s side made history with a pioneering tour to Nepal, organised by the Change Foundation.
More recently, the sport reached a wider audience during the World Blind Games in Birmingham (2023), which hosted the first-ever multi-team competition for women and saw Kathryn lead the team as Captain.
Now, Kathryn and Sharnie are preparing to make history again — representing their country at the very first Women’s VI T20 World Cup.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said Alan Mabey, Club Chair and father of Sharnie. “For our players to represent their country at the first-ever Women’s VI T20 World Cup is huge, not just for them, but for the entire visually impaired cricket community. We’re calling on local businesses, cricket fans, and supporters everywhere to help make this possible.”
How You Can Help
The overall cost of sending the UK squad to India is significant, but thanks to a generous donation of £30,000, the team is already part of the way there. SVICC are now fundraising to cover the remaining costs for the team, that will also support Kathryn and Sharnie. Every contribution makes a difference.
Donate today via JustGiving:
