And the “Flicx Pitch Pitch” winners are …

Excuse the pun but we have been well and truly bowled over by all the entries in our “Flicx Pitch Pitch” competition and it was a very difficult task for our MD Richard Beghin to pick a winner but we have the result…

Congratulations Iceland Cricket! Here is their winning entry

‘Audun hit the ball over Grettir’s head. He could not catch it, and it bounced away over the ice. Grettir bowled the next ball so that it hit Audun in the face. Audun lashed out and hit Grettir with the bat, then kneed him in the groin.’ – Grettir’s saga. Cricket was invented by the Vikings in the ninth century, and it was a violent game to say the least. The pitches were uneven and so were the matches; there were many serious injuries. Had the Vikings installed a Flicx pitch, the path of history could have been very different. The ‘Game of Thrones’ could have been ‘Game of 50 overs per side with a Break Between Innings for Tea’. It is sad to say that although ‘krikket’ still flourishes in Iceland today, the pitches are as uneven and unpredictable as they were a thousand years ago. No longer are the burly Vikings in the firing line, but the brave and sports-loving children of Reykjavík. The ball bounces like crazy on our artificial football pitches, and if only we had a proper cricket pitch then we could at last enjoy our cricket in a safe and happy way.

Immigration has such a positive influence on Iceland. Refugees and economic migrants, Muslims and Hindus, Brits and Barbadians have breathed life into Arctic cricket. With sponsors and fundraising, we have launched programmes bringing cricket to schools and refugee centres, but we need to be sure that the children are safe. The Icelandic word for safety is ‘öryggi’ and ‘gaman’ means fun, but cricket can teach the Icelanders a new word – a word from the special language of cricket. All cricket-lovers know this language, and they know that ‘Flicx’ means safety and ‘Flicx’ means fun. Let’s bring Flicx to the volcanic rock of Iceland!

We were impressed by the passion for cricket shown in so many of the submissions from clubs looking to gain extra capacity for their junior sections, to schools looking to introduce formal cricket for the first time right up to national cricket associations looking to integrate refugee communities through cricket. There is no doubt that the 2G Flicx Pitch can play such a vital role in boosting participation and increasing the standard of matches and we hope to continue to work with all the clubs and schools that entered to develop their facilities in the coming months and years.

Speaking about the winning entry Richard Beghin commented ” Flicx has always been about developing cricket and the entry from Iceland really showed passion for developing the game and a structure where their new 2G Flicx Pitch will have a huge impact in the country by creating a portable facility for young players to develop and will host senior cricket matches. We are already seeing Iceland make a huge impression at the World Cup – maybe one day we will see them at Lords or some of their players in the IPL!”

For more information about the 2G Flicx Pitch range, visit our website or watch #AskAsh our monthly vlog for top tips on using the world’ most versatile cricket pitch! WATCH #AskAsh