Clarke Willmott renews pathway partnership
A Taunton law firm has renewed its support of the Somerset County Cricket Club (SCCC) Pathway Programme which supports young people in developing their cricket skills.
Clarke Willmott LLP, based at Blackbrook Gate, extended the partnership with the Pathway after being impressed with the achievements of the young cricketers on the programme.
After lockdown called a halt to all games the Pathway achieved a successful summer with seven Pathway players making professional debuts and 155 games played between the end of July and mid-September.
The partnership is one aspect of the long-running relationship between SCCC and Clarke Willmott, which remains the Preferred Legal Partner of the club.
Clarke Willmott’s head of the Taunton office, Chris Thorne, said: “The SCCC Pathway identifies young cricketers who have the potential to play at the highest level.
“It has been astonishing to see these players develop over the past year. The programme offers these youngsters the opportunity to access increased training and playing time throughout the year, helping to develop skills in an age-appropriate environment.
“Seeing what has been achieved this year with the added complication of the lockdown has really highlighted the talent and determination of both the players and the organisation and we are proud to be offering support.”
Head of the SCCC Talent Pathway, Steve Snell, said: “It’s been a surreal summer. We were unsure as to whether we would get any cricket played at all and then from the back end of July until mid-September 155 games took place from the Pathway’s perspective. That’s an awful lot of games.
“The most pleasing thing from our point of view is that young players from across the county got the chance to represent Somerset, further their cricketing development and interact face to face with their peers, which is something that has been impossible to do in lockdown.
“Four hundred and thirteen players have represented Somerset across all our age groups, that includes boys and girls. In that number we’ve seen 121 schools and 76 clubs represented. I think that level of inclusion across the County is superb and as a Pathway we are so proud of that.
“Thank you to Clarke Willmott and the other organisations that support us, without them we wouldn’t be able to do the great work we do with young people in the County.”
Graduates of the scheme who had breakthrough years in the first team this year include Tom Lammonby, 20, who made his debut in First Class Cricket and scored 459 runs including 3 Centuries- the most by any player in English Cricket this year and Will Smeed, 18, who made his T20 debut and was awarded Player of the Match vs Gloucestershire scoring 82.
Clarke Willmott has been providing legal advice to SCCC for over 30 years. The partnership also creates a link between the two parties enabling SCCC Academy players to carry out work placements with Clarke Willmott.
Clarke Willmott LLP is a national law firm with seven offices across the country, including Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, London, Manchester, Southampton and Taunton.
For more information please visit www.clarkewillmott.com
