ASTWOOD Bank Cricket Club will rename their Sambourne Lane ground in memory of former player Josh Baker next week.
The Redditch club’s home will be known as the ‘Josh Baker Oval’ in a permanent tribute to the 20-year-old on Friday, June 27.
And the club will mark the occasion with a T20 game between a Josh Baker invitational team and Worcestershire CCC.
Josh died suddenly in May last year.
The game will take place at Astwood Bank will all cash raised to go to the JB33 Foundation.
Josh’s parents, Paul and Lisa, set-up the JB33 Foundation charity in his memory to support local cricket clubs.
All are welcome to attend with activities to begin at 5pm when the club’s junior players make their way onto the pitch.
The T20 match will start at 6pm with the naming ceremony, featuring Josh’s dad Paul and other Astwood Bank CC members, to commence at 7.15pm.
The second innings will then begin at 7.30pm with the game to end at 8.45pm.
Music and entertainment will continue past 9pm.
Astwood Bank CC chairman, Matthew Cockbill said: “This wonderful event promises to bring together friends, teammates and supporters from across Josh’s career in a fantastic T20 celebration game.
“As a club we work hard to ensure that every member and player is treated equally and given every opportunity to excel.
“But some players are just a bit more equal than others.
“We all continue to be immensely proud of Josh’s playing career, his talents and his presence at the club long after his professional career took flight.
“In naming the ground after Josh it is a simple tribute in his memory.”
Redditch-born Josh first played cricket for Astwood Bank at the age of seven before later moving to Worcestershire.
He took 70 wickets in 47 appearances for Worcestershire after making his first-class debut for the county in 2021.
Worcestershire retired the number 33 shirt in his memory and awarded life memberships to his parents Paul and Lisa.
