Baywater Healthcare were recently represented on the global stage in the world of sport!
South Wales Healthcare Technician Simon has been a member of team Baywater for over 19 years. Recently, he was selected to represent Wales at the Over 50s Cricket World Cup. Simon has shared his experience of the World Cup with us.
Simon was put forward to be a part of the squad by a friend who had previously been involved with the Wales over 50’s team, claiming that Simon had more than enough ability to become a part of the team. This was perfect for Simon as representing Wales is something that he had always considered due to his father playing for Wales over the 50s, which meant that Simon and his father became the first-ever father and son duo to both play for Wales.
Simon has played for Wales for four years now, gradually working his way up to becoming a regular in the first team and International team. As of today, Simon has represented Wales on 56 different occasions, 23 of which have been international games.
The selection process for the World Cup squad began over a year ago, in March 2024. A team of 35 players was asked to attend a training camp and play in the ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board) competitions during the season. The squad for the World Cup was then selected in August 2024, and to the delight of everybody, Simon was deservedly a part of it!
The Over 50s World Cup is self-funded with no support from Governing Bodies, so once the squad was selected, they had to set out to raise funds to allow them to participate in the World Cup. Baywater Healthcare has a charitable giving policy that supports our employees in their volunteering and charitable work. When Simon asked us if we would be interested in sponsoring the team, we were delighted to help. We were thrilled to sponsor the team and be the training kit sponsors for the World Cup.
The World Cup was held in Colombo, Sri Lanka, and consisted of 14 countries in two groups of seven. Wales was drawn into Group B alongside India, Pakistan, Canada, West Indies, South Africa, and Australia. Simon’s Wales finished 4th in their group, which meant they would finish in the overall top eight—significantly improving their previous World Cup performance in 2023.
Wales then faced off against the USA and was victorious before facing India, where they would eventually be defeated, giving Wales a final placement of 6th in the world.
Finishing 6th is a fantastic achievement, especially considering that Simon competed in playing conditions alien to him and his team. The team played in temperatures of over 35 degrees and 80% humidity, drinking over 100 litres of water every game!
Throughout the tournament, Simon had fantastic support from home, family, and friends who had travelled with him. Simon stated that he was very fortunate to have his wife and daughter supporting him in Sri Lanka, while his other daughter and family members were always in contact.
Wales played eight games in two weeks, a hectic schedule with little downtime or recovery time. Simon stated that it was an amazing experience and a great honour to be selected to represent his country in a World Cup. We loved following Simon’s progress while in Sri Lanka and are proud to have been able to sponsor such a fantastic achievement.
