Cricketers geared up to join the league

The club, founded in 2014, are preparing for their biggest season to date as they enter a National Development League.

And they are looking to boost their squad with players, of varying degrees of sight loss, ahead of the big season.

The Wolves were founded on behalf of Wolverhampton CC, who pushed through an initiative to promote disability cricket in the county, and alongside Beacon Centre for the blind.

Player and club representative Andrew Causton added: "We're keen to recruit and drum up interest. All players have some degree of sight loss, but the core of us are cricket lovers.

"We train on alternate Sundays so there are lots of chances to get to know the group and become a team.

"We've worked hard for this chance to enter the BCEW Development League and next year will be big for us.

"Beacon Centre sent us an email to start it up and it seemed a very good opportunity. It's an incentive to train and keep fit. But we want to be more competitive than last year."

Blind Cricket for England and Wales (BCEW) is an organisation separate from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and hosts a Development lLeague.

That will see the Wolves play six games in the season, three home and three away, against Lancashire Lions, Gloucester Growlers and RNC Hereford Bulldogs.

They currently train at University of Wolverhampton campus on Wulfruna Street and are grateful to the Black Country Consortium for financial help with training costs.

In their introductory season last year, the side entered a development tournament in Leicester.

And, after merging for the event with Worcestershire Elizabethans, came third, winning four of six games.

There are several guidelines for clubs entering the league. All players must be registered blind or partially sighted and four of the 11 team members must be totally blind.

Causton said: "There are four main levels of sight, B1, B2, B3 and B4. B1 is more serious and those players need to have a runner with them while playing.

"But others can generally run themselves. Bowlers must also check with the batters that they are ready to face the delivery, shouting 'play' before bowling. The stumps are taller."

Other prominent visually impaired sides include outfits from Nottinghamshire, Northants and Berkshire.

Causton said: "We want to get more players involved. Help is also welcomed from fully-sighted people that may want to come along and help us coaching.

"They don't have to be cricket experts but can lend a hand in any way. BCEW will co-ordinate the leagues and organise games. We're hoping it is competitive and as professional as possible.

"There are men and women of all ages and areas playing for us, from Wolverhampton, Birmingham, Walsall and Shrewsbury."

Anyone interested in playing or helping out should call coach Steve Lightfoot on 07789 265 618.