Benefit
year dates announced
The
Warwickshire County Cricket Club General Committee has awarded Ashley Giles a
benefit year in 2006
in recognition of 13 years loyal service to the Club.
Ashley, 32, joined the staff in 1992 and made his first-class County
Championship debut for Warwickshire in 1993 against Kent at Canterbury. Since
that time he has played in almost 100 first-class matches taking over 300
wickets at an average of 25 with the ball, and has also become an extremely
useful lower order batsman with more than 3,000 runs to his name. In 1996 Ashley
was awarded his county cap.
On the International front Ashley has become the main stay of England’s spin
bowling attack since making his one day international debut in 1997 against
Australia at the Oval followed by his Test Match debut in 1998 against South
Africa at Old Trafford. With 47 Test matches and 62 one day internationals
“under his belt” Ashley is recognized as one of the pivotal characters in
the England dressing room, and he was chosen as one of the Wisden Cricketers’
of the Year in 2005.
Commenting on the announcement, Chief Executive Dennis Amiss said: “We are
delighted to award Ashley a benefit year in 2006. He is a wonderful ambassador
for the game of cricket and is widely respected as one of the great competitors
both for Warwickshire and England. We are sure that Ashley will be well
supported in his Benefit Year, and wish him every success”.
Benefit
year kicks off in style
Ashley's
benefit year kicked off with the Benefit Launch Ball at the Metropole Hilton at
Birmingham's NEC. The event drew great support with a total of 780 guests
including eight of Ashley's Ashes winning team mates. The evening was compared
superbly by Nick Hancock and the evening's entertainment included a Q&A
session with Freddie Flintoff and Michael Vaughan, fine performances of Nessen
Dorma and Jerusalem by Keedie and the evening ended with music from top 80s band
Go West.
Guest
speakers included Warwickshire's Dougie Brown and Professor Charles Craddock who
both described the research work and fundraising activities of Ashley's
nominated charity Cure Leukaemia.
The
evening's auction was very successful thanks to a number of fantastic prizes
donated by Vodaphone, Rumsey Travel and others. The star auction was a limited
edition Connaught Syracuse Sports Car complete with V10 engine.
Benefit Year - Full
list of events:
Benefit Year - Full
list of events:
07/05/2006 14:48
