Going for a spin? Club gets vegan ball
Cricketing greats WG Grace of England and Australia’s Don Bradman may be spinning in their graves at the news an English cricket club has switched to using a vegan ball from the traditional leather one.
Earley Cricket Club in Reading a town 40 miles (64 kilometers) west of London had already introduced a vegan tea for its players.
That was down to its founder and chairman Gary Shacklady who found most cricket club teas consisted of ham sandwiches, not much use to him when he became a vegan.
Now the club has gone the full hog and introduced a vegan cricket ball — a synthetic animal products-free one covered in rubber instead of leather.
“It does behave like a leather cricket ball, but it bounces more and it’s more difficult to grip,” Shacklady told the Daily Mail.
“But we’re enthused by it and we’re hopeful of finding a better version.”
Shacklady, who founded the club 12 years ago and at 33 is the youngest cricket club chairman in England, is hoping other clubs in the Berkshire Cricket League will follow the club’s lead.
The school teacher insisted that there was not much opposition when he proposed switching the tea to a vegan menu about two years ago.
Ham and beef sandwiches have been replaced by the likes of Moroccan tagine, lasagne and meat-free spaghetti Bolognese.
“The teas have been well received as our players understand and support the reasoning behind the decision,” said Shacklady, who set up the club 12 years ago.
“When other teams come to us, they pile their plates high.
“And when they eat the food, nobody complains.
“Although you usually get one middle-aged white man who is horrified — it’s fine, he doesn’t have to eat it. But the point is that everyone can.”
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
- RSS
- |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证:沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证:31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证:0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证:沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证:沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.