County Championship winners Middlesex and Women’s One-Day Cup winners Kent were the guests of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh at Buckingham Palace yesterday to receive their respective trophies.
HRH The Duke of Edinburgh is Patron and ‘Twelfth Man’ of the Lord’s Taverners - the UK’s leading youth cricket and disability sports charity and he hosted the two winning counties to present the Lord’s Taverners ECB Trophy and the Lady Taverners ECB Trophy.
The Lord’s Taverners ECB Trophy is the official name of the silverware awarded to the winners of the men’s County Championship, while the women’s champions receive the Lady Taverners ECB Trophy.
It is the 43rd year that the County Champions have enjoyed a special Royal engagement since the trophy was introduced for the first time by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh in 1973. As Patron and ‘Twelfth Man’ he asks the Lord’s Taverners to organise a ceremony which he hosts at Buckingham Palace every year to honour the winners.
Whilst unable to attend the presentation reception at the Palace himself, Middlesex's County Championship winning captain James Franklin said:
“Lifting the County Championship trophy at Lord’s this year as Captain of this great and historic club ranks as one of the proudest achievements of my career to date. To have won it in such exceptional circumstances, in the final minutes of a long and testing season, made the entire experience one that I and everyone involved at the club will simply never forget.
“For the Lord’s Taverners to be able to add to this experience by affording us the opportunity to attend Buckingham Palace to receive our winners’ medals and be presented with the trophy is just incredible and our sincere thanks go to them for hosting this wonderful occasion.”
Paul Robin, Chief Executive of The Lord’s Taverners, stated:
“We are delighted to once again be organising the men’s and women’s county championship trophy presentations at Buckingham Palace. It’s a great tradition for HRH The Duke of Edinburgh to present the Lord’s Taverners Trophies and a wonderful way to thank the county game which has, once again, been so supportive of the charity last season. It is a very special day for both Middlesex and Kent.”
Tim Murtagh receives the trophy from HRH Duke of Edinburgh
Middlesex players with the County Championship trophy and HRH Duke of Edinburgh
Middlesex player pose with the County Championship winners' pennant
