The Transplant Ashes are coming to Yorkshire

There are massive international cricket fixtures this season here in Yorkshire. The first Test between England and India looms large at Headingley but before that, the Ashes arrive.

The Transplant Ashes is a series between England and Wales against Australia where all players have received life saving and life changing transplants.

England and Wales Transplant cricket will be hosting Lucky Stars Australia Transplant Cricket in the first part of June.

The aim of the series is to celebrate players’ ‘second innings’ in life and promote the importance of organ, tissue, stem cell and bone marrow donation.

Dates & Venues:

• June 9th – Chipping Campden Cricket Club, Chipping Campden, GL55 6LB (Start time 1pm)

• June 11th – Haxey Cricket Club, Doncaster, DN9 2ND (Start time 12pm)

• June 13th – New Farnley Cricket Club, Leeds, LS12 5ES (Start time 11am)

England and Wales Transplant Cricket

The England and Wales Transplant Cricket Club is a representative side of cricketers who have received lifesaving and life changing transplants.

Originally known as Great Britain Transplant Cricket Club, the club was established in 2004 following a challenge set by the Australians at the World Transplant Games, the club was rebranded as England and Wales Transplant Cricket in 2018.

74 players have been capped to date since 2004.

England and Wales Transplant Cricket is open to all transplant recipients, living donors, donor family members, those awaiting transplant and dialysis patients.

Players have received all forms of transplants including Kidney, Liver, Lung, Heart, Stem Cell, Bone Marrow, Cornea, and Bowel.

They are celebrating cricket and life thanks to the generosity of their donors, be they family, friends or strangers.

Transplant recipients are able to play cricket in a team environment creating a strong community feel for players and families alike which provides invaluable support on their transplant journeys.

Understandably, the importance of donation as well as the transformative effect it can have, not just for the recipient but also for those around them are key themes.

Back in 2017, I interviewed Scott Fairbrass who had joined GBTCC and reeled off twin hundreds after recovering from his second transplant operation.

He got in touch about the recent Transplant Ashes and more than happy to share news of this latest series, especially given it’s got such a Yorkshire flavour.

Scott’s own health is stable and though he retired from club cricket at the end of last season, he is dusting off his pads to play in the 2025 Transplant Ashes. Currently boasting an average of 236 against the Aussies!

It’s always superb to see cricket clubs hosting such a breadth of fixtures and in Haxey (11 June) and New Farnley, this is a chance to witness games with such a powerful message.

Organ Donation: Lifesaving legacy

According to England and Wales Transplant Cricket, in the UK, over 7,500 people are waiting for an organ transplant and for many, time is running out.

They point out that it only takes two minutes to register your decision to donate, every person who joins the NHS Organ Donor Register is potentially giving the greatest gift imaginable—more time, more memories, more life.

Every 14 minutes someone in the UK is diagnosed with blood cancer, only 30% of patients are able to find a compatible donor in their family.

Anyone between the ages of 17 – 55 and in general good health can register to donate stem cells.

The donor journey begins with a swab of the cheek that takes two minutes and can be the action that leads to a lifesaving transplant.

Follow England Transplant Cricket

England Transplant Cricket on Facebook is https://www.facebook.com/EnglandTransplantCricket while they’re also on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/ewtcc