College sport, cricket, and Sixes in the City: A conversation with the Ashmen

One of the great things about Durham’s collegiate system is the potential to get involved in college-level societies and sports. We spoke to The Ashmen – the Chad’s cricket team competing in Durham Sixes in the City this May. Sixes in the City is a social, friendship-based cricket tournament series, with the Durham event taking place on May 31st.

We spoke to three of The Ashmen about their experiences with college sport and their upcoming event.

‘Playing in a college sports team for me means friendship’

For Harry Dawson, “playing in a college sports team […] means friendship.”

Of the connections made through a shared passion for sports, Harry said “whatever your level, [they] are invaluable.” This is something Harry has “discovered across darts, football, and cricket, particularly with our Sixes in the City team, the Ashmen.”

On college life and pride, he said “it’s a great way to stay connected to, and represent your college, and particular benefit comes from the cross-year group interaction which it often brings, and which will serve so well in the future.”

‘An infinitely valuable slice of my life in college’

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Miles Kirby told us that, for him, “involvement in Chad’s sports teams is an infinitely valuable slice of [his] life in college.” He said: “A sports enthusiast myself, it gives me great joy to offer my efforts (not always expertise) in various sporting endeavours.”

Speaking about Chad’s, he said: “Especially in such a small college, I’m a big fan of the opportunity sports teams provide me to meet and befriend students in other years and bond over the magical highs and lows that sports provide. Being involved in the Chad’s darts teams and now the Ashmen Sixes in the city team this year have been invaluable and character-building experiences for me.#bleedgreen”

‘A real highlight of our university experiences’

Matthew Caswell, the team’s “reels secretary”, shared Harry and Miles’ sentiments: “College sport has meant a lot to me.”

He also spoke to the confidence and friendships involvement with college sport gave him: “It’s boosted my confidence since coming to uni and I’ve been so lucky in the sense I have been able to share a pitch or boat or whatever it may be with such a brilliant set of guys.”

The team were all looking forward to playing at Sixes in the City. Matthew told us about how college sport allowed them this opportunity: “It has also meant we have had the chance to create our own social teams for things like Sixes in the City, which has brought us all closer and allowed us to make sports teams a real highlight of our university experiences.”

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