Ghosal emphasises importance of National Table Cricket Finals Day
The school set off at 3:30am to get to Lord's and SENCO Kelly Ghosal revealed how the excitement had swept through the pupils.
'They're all massively excited to be here,' she said. 'It was an early start to get down here, but they've all been brilliant.
'We're all ridiculously proud of them for being here too. They've done phenomenally well.
'I pulled rank to come down to Lord's to be with the students today, they are a phenomenal bunch.'
Table cricket is a fully inclusive, adapted version of the game aimed at young people living with a wide range of learning and physical disabilities played on a table tennis table.
Teams of six compete to avoid fielders and hit specific scoring zones while the ball is bowled using a ramp. The Lord's Taverners runs its national competition each year, with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) schools from across the country taking part.
Ghosal, who has been with the school since 2017, also expressed the importance of having inclusive showpiece occasions such as the National Table Cricket Finals Day for students to aim for.
'Events like this are hugely important,' she continued. 'It's a level playing field. Sports in schools have become more inclusive but it's still asking students to do things outside their comfort zone to meet everybody else who is physically able.
'Whereas with this, everyone is in a similar position, so the students can be their authentic selves whilst doing something that is accessible to them.'
For the first time in the competition's history, National Finals Day took place as part of Disability Cricket Day, the biggest ever one-off showcase of disability cricket hosted by the MCC, ECB and Lord's Taverners which saw all formats of disability cricket on display from grassroots to elite level.
The day was brought to a close by the first ever international disability cricket fixture on the main ground at Lord's, the third of a seven match Vitality IT20 Mixed disability series between England and India.
'I saw table cricket for the first time a few years ago now and coming to the final here at Lord's today, you are struck immediately by the competitiveness, the keenness and the camaraderie,' said Lord's Taverners President and former England batter David Gower.
'Everyone's spirits are high and it's fantastic to see people getting everything they want from the game, who, as we know, wouldn't otherwise have the opportunity. Events like this are hugely important.
'The players are all so good, and they are all having immense fun. The atmosphere is just vibrant, and I love being a figurehead for Tavs, especially on days like today.'
The Lord's Taverners impacts the lives of young people facing the challenges of inequality. The charity works across the UK and beyond to provide inclusive and impactful cricket programmes, empowering young people with disabilities and from disadvantaged communities – visit www.lordstaverners.org
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