The all-time leading run-scorer for a Surrey cricket club who has helped provide a pathway for younger players to progress in the sport has won a national grassroots cricket award.
Valley End Cricket Club member Paul Williams has been named the latest winner of the Voneus Village Cup Club Legend award.
The award celebrates individuals who show dedication and passion to the sport and their communities.
Paul, who has been involved with the club since 1990, has notched more than 18,000 runs for the side since making his senior debut for Valley End at the age of 14 in 1994.
Alongside his performances on the wicket, which includes opening the batting at Lord’s in Valley End’s successful 2008 Village Cup campaign, Paul has been heavily involved with all aspects of the club.
He has mentored scores of players through the side’s youth system across the last two decades as well as utilised his knowledge as an accountant to provide financial advice to the club.
Paul dedicated most of his involvement with Valley End CC to his own father, who brought him into the side and passed on a deep love of the Village Cup before his death in 2017.
Paul said: “It’s usually been quite a young side and I will say I was encouraging of the young lads coming through.
“Some people think they’re not old enough, big enough, strong enough to be selected but I’m always promoting them because they’re better than some of the adults and I was one of the younger ones once.
“Myself and a lot of the older lads stopped playing on Sundays because of other halves and families. But this year, we had a special group of younger lads in their early 20s who love playing together and playing on a Sunday.
“I only played if they were short because I didn’t want to take the position of one of the younger lads, but it’s been exciting. And Dad was so excited about the Village Cup originally, I know he’d have loved it.
“Dad passed away in 2017 and he was an absolute mad Village Cup nut. He’d go away and watch some of the teams we might play in the local area to check them out, he’d always keep an eye on them.
“It was his dream that we’d get through to Lord’s and in 2008, we did. He was beside himself, so nervous and excited, and it was an amazing experience to see all those young lads come through the rank and play at Lord’s.”
While Paul has taken a step back from the Sunday side, he did come out of retirement to lead the batting line-up for three matches in Valley End’s 2021 Voneus Village Cup campaign, including the side’s final 32 clash against West Chiltington and Thakeham.
Despite half of the regular starting XI self-isolating due to Covid regulations, Valley End were able to provide a tough challenge in their round of 32 clash but unfortunately saw their dreams of a second Village Cup title fall short, losing by 33 runs despite a 104-ball 52 from Paul.
Director of cricket and vice chairman of Valley End CC Andrew Monk, who nominated Paul for the Voneus Village Cup Club Legend award, said: “Paul had the vision to get serious Sunday cricket started at the club and was instrumental in promoting the Village Cup as a realistic target.
“His dream came true in 2008 when he opened the batting at Lord’s when our young side won the cup. Since then, he has pushed for the next generation of players to take up the challenge the Village Cup offers.
“This year he has come out of Sunday retirement to add his experience to the young squad in their quest to play at Lord’s. Having the club’s all-time leading run-scorer walking out to open the batting, he was talismanic.”
Head of marketing and communications for Voneus, one of the UK’s largest rural broadband specialists, Zoe Day said: “Paul is a shining example of the commitment individuals and families can make to their local club.
“Coming back to Sunday cricket again this year to help out his side in their Voneus Village Cup run is just another glimpse of the stellar work he has done at Valley End to help support the development of younger players.
“He is truly deserving of the status of being a Voneus Village Cup Club Legend. Well done, Paul!”
