Andrew Lewin

There were so many good speeches, and I want to briefly reflect on the highlights from each. I congratulate the hon. Member for Surrey Heath (Dr Pinkerton) on the new cricket pitch and pavilion landing this year. I was really sorry to hear about the flooding that impacted the club of my hon. Friend the Member for Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes (Melanie Onn). Cricket is particularly exposed to the damage of climate change in this country and across the world. We need to be really conscious of that. We already knew that there has never been a parliamentary debate missed by the hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon); now we know he has never got a duck either. That is particularly big news in Westminster. My hon. Friend the Member for Rossendale and Darwen (Andy MacNae) talked about the brilliance of the Lancashire league. I largely agree with him, but as I went to York university, I will say no more—I want to remain friends. The hon. Member for Leicester South (Shockat Adam) gave a really powerful speech. I particularly support his comment that while there is talent everywhere, opportunity is not equally shared. He made a powerful point about state-of-the-art facilities—some young people just need some synthetic turf. His point was very well made. I am sorry that the hon. Member for South Antrim (Robin Swann) and I got off on the wrong foot. He is absolutely right to say that cricket has a very proud history in Ireland. It is not just the Aussies who have beaten the English in recent history; the Irish team has as well, as has Scotland—a lot of people share in that. I love the journey of the hon. Member for Bath (Wera Hobhouse) from cricket widow to a champion of the sport, and the opening up of the game. The Liberal Democrat spokesperson, the hon. Member for North Norfolk (Steff Aquarone), is, I think, all out of puns. He might be a little optimistic in thinking that there will be an Ashes test at Cromer cricket club, but the parliamentary cricket team is always looking for fixtures, so we can talk afterwards. The hon. Member for Isle of Wight East (Joe Robertson) and I might not agree on everything, but we can agree on the class and permanence of Joe Root, whose career has spanned six Prime Ministers. Most importantly, I thank the Minister for everything she is doing for our game: for her commitment to raise the issue of opening up facilities in private schools with the Department for Education, for the specific £400 million investment, and for considering how those two things can work together. I think that will matter to a lot of the Members who have spoken today, and many more colleagues as well. She finished by encouraging submissions to the MHCLG consultation. I do not need any excuse to write about cricket, so I will certainly be doing that. I thank everybody who took part in the debate today. Question put and agreed to. Resolved, That this House has considered Government support for grassroots cricket clubs.