Bobby Spencer Award
Cheshire Youth Cricket have announced two initiatives to celebrate the life of former player Bobby Spencer, who died in June this year aged 14.
Bobby played representative cricket for Cheshire from the age of 10 and was much loved and respected by all his teammates and coaches. He was taken ill at a County Festival in Taunton in 2022, and was diagnosed with a secreting germ cell tumour, passing away just 11 months later. More than 1,000 people attended his funeral.
From next summer, an annual fixture between Cheshire Boys’ Under 13s and their counterparts from Lancashire will be played in Bobby’s memory. The match will take place at his home club, Widnes CC.
Cheshire Youth Cricket have also announced a new talent programme designed to recognise the contributions of an outstanding young person within Cheshire Cricket. The ‘Bobby Spencer Award’ will go to an individual who demonstrates some of the traits and characteristics of Bobby, including:
- Strong teamwork
- Enthusiasm and commitment to their cricketing (and personal) development
- Leadership skills – helping and supporting others
- Evidences resilience
The inaugural winner of the Award will be revealed in January 2024 and will receive a free place on a future Cheshire Youth Cricket development course.
Cheshire Cricket Boys’ Performance Manager Gavin Colebourn said: “Bobby is missed every day by his teammates and coaches, and we wanted to find a way to mark his contribution to our cricket family.
“We know the annual fixture with Lancashire will be played in great spirit and we hope the creation of the Bobby Spencer Award is a fitting tribute to a remarkable young man.”